


Riddick: Fire and Fury

by dreamingofyou



Category: Pitch Black (2000), Riddick (2013)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Blood, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fights, Fluff and Smut, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-14
Updated: 2016-06-14
Packaged: 2018-07-15 01:21:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 17
Words: 40,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7199669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamingofyou/pseuds/dreamingofyou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>**WARNING***This story contains spoilers of the 2013 movie Riddick. You've been warned*** </p><p>She'd been on the run for her entire life, for being the last of her race...or so she thought. It all comes crashing down when she is captured by a group of mercs. But that all changes when the merc ship gets a distress beacon, from none other than Riddick himself. Riddick/OC</p><p>Originally posted on fanfic.net under aLeXaNdRaSaInSbUrY, now on AO3!!!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Fall of a Furyan

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome everyone, to my Riddick fangasm. I originally posted this to my fanfic.net account, and thought I would bring it over here. I hope you enjoy!

They say your mind completely shuts down in cryosleep…so why am I still awake?

My mind would drift, never once staying on one thing. I was aware that I was in cryosleep, but my body wouldn't respond to anything. I could scream inside my head…but no one would ever hear me.

My mind was lucid enough to recognize that I alive…and bound. My skin was pressed up against something hard…some sort of metal.

My mind drifted again. How did this come to be? The last thing I remember was Sasha and I running through the streets of New Meccah… something...or someone had been chasing us. We were almost there…almost to the ship...Then nothing. Blackness blankets my mind.

I jolt. Someone has moved my body. There is a slight stinging pain my thigh. What is it? More drugs? My limbs begin to get feeling again; I can curl my toes and feel the blood rushing back into my hands. With great effort and a deep breath, I am able to open my eyes.

"Easy now."

My head was swimming, as I was coming out of the sleep. My gaze fell upon a fuzzy figure.

"Wha?"

"Shh. The drugs should wear off soon. Do you know who you are?"

I squinted as I tried to see who was talking. So far, I could only make out that it was a "he".

"What's your name?" He asked more slowly.

I shut my eyes at a sudden wave of dizziness.

"Reana." At least I could remember that much.

"Good. Now, I am going to untie you, okay?"

I opened my eyes to look at him again. I could see him more clearly this time; he was a little older than me; he had sparkling blue eyes and brown hair, and a kind face. He reached up to where my hands were and unlocked the chains. My arms fell to my sides, useless, after being held up for so long. He moved away and went across the room. I rubbed my hands, trying to stop the pins and needles. Once I got the feeling back in them, I ran a hand through my bright auburn hair; it was a nervous habit. From what I could tell, I was in a cargo hold of some sort of ship. The metal I had felt earlier was from the wall I was chained too. I watched him, as he bent down next to someone. My heart leapt into my throat.

"Sasha?" I squeaked.

The man looked at me from over his shoulder.

"She should be awake in a minute or too." He produced a small needle and plucked it into her thigh.

My gaze wandered over my friend. She was in her late twenties and she had dark skin and curly dark hair. She had started out as my body guard, but we had grown into great friends. My heart beat fast as I watched her come out of her comatose state. Sasha had been my protector for almost ten years. I couldn't really remember much of my childhood…except that Sasha had been there. We had been planet hoping for most of my life and on the run from mercs. Sasha had told me it was because of what I am; one of the last Furyans; but it wasn't just that. Someone had implanted me with a perfect map to my home world….Furya. Because of that, someone had put a price on my head…that steadily grew the older I got.

I was jerked from my thoughts by a snarl.

"Don't fucking touch me."

Sasha was awake and in full "flight or fight" mode. The man, who had woke her up, stepped back with his hands raised in surrender.

"I'm not going to hurt you. Santana is letting you go."

Santana. Bounty Hunter. At the mention of his name, I cringed. He was one of the ones who had been hunting us, for the past year. We had managed to narrowly escape him, but he seemed to always know our next move. It would seem our luck had run out.

Sasha sneered, but paused.

"Why?"

The man frowned. "Bigger catch."

Who could he be after that he would just let the both of us go?

Sasha didn't move as the man unlocked her chains. When they fell to the floor, she flew across the room towards me.

"Reana? Are you alright? Did they hurt you?"

She had my face in her iron grip, twisting my head from side to side for an inspection. I batted her hands away.

"I'm fine Sasha. Just a little shook up."

She gave me a scowl and turned back to the man.

"So we can leave?"

He quickly nodded. "Santana said to go. You're free."

Sasha pulled me from where I had been sitting and dragged me to the open door. Where ever we were, was a hell of a lot different than the high rise buildings of New Meccah. The terrain was a blaze with reddish/orange colored sand; the heat rose off it in waves. Sasha and I stopped right outside of ship.

"We must leave. Now."

I turned to look up at her. She was almost half a foot taller than my 5"4 frame. Her normally flawless face was scrunched up in a determined look.

She swung her head from side to side, inspecting the camp that was set up. When there was no sign of anyone else, we made our break for it.

Fear crept up my spin, as Sasha and I sprinted our way through the camp. This seemed to easy….

As soon as that thought slipped through my mind, a pair of bulging arms grabbed me around my waist. I was crushed against a hard body, and no matter how much I struggled, I couldn't get away.

"Sasha!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

Sasha was about ten feet out of the camp. She stopped and turned on her heel, to look at me; her mouth open in horror.

I struggled against my captor. A gruff laugh sounded in my ear. Diaz, one of Santana's mercs. My heart fell….there was no escape. I turned my attention back towards Sasha was. If there was any chance of escape, it was now.

"Sasha! Sasha, go!" I was almost pleading with her. She was our only chance of escape. I knew Sasha…if I didn't push her, she would have come back to fight a losing battle.

She stood there for a few more moments, looking like she was struggling with herself.

"GO!" I screamed with everything I had. I didn't want her to die.

"I will come back for you." She shouted. She looked like she might cry.

To my relief, she took off again, running at top speed through the desert. She could make it!

My relief was soon washed by fear when I heard a raspy "Tsk."

I looked up to my right. Santana grinned down at me.

Santana was a snake like man. He had shoulder length dark hair and a couple days worth of stubble on his square chin. His clothes were dark and ripped, from years of abuse as a bounty hunter.

"Silly girls. To think I would let you go without a proper goodbye."

My brow scrunched in confusion. Santana merely shook his head and raised his gun. My eyes widened in horror.

It was like time slowed down. I turned back to where Sasha had gone.

"Sasha!"

But my warning was too late. The air filled with the sound of a gun firing.

My soul ripped in half, as I saw Sasha fall to the ground, blood spurting from her back. I struggled harder against Diaz, but it was all in vain.

Angry tears ran down my pale face, as I faced the truth; the freedom had been a lie. I let my legs go slack; Diaz letting me hit the ground with a thud. Sobs tore through me. Sasha was gone…just like that. It was like all our years of fighting and struggle didn't matter. Heavy boots swam into my vision. I only had a second before a hand tangled its self in my hair, and I was jerked upward. I cried out at the sudden pain. Santana sneered down at me.

"I am surprised, Furyan. I would have thought you'd have been smarter than that."

"Fuck you." I snarled through my tears.

He just laughed and stroked my cheek with his other hand, in mock sympathy. He looked over at Sasha's still form.

"And I beginning to be attached."

I closed my eyes. I wanted nothing more than to slit his throat.

"Why? Why couldn't you just let us go? You had a bigger catch didn't you?"

Santana glanced over his shoulder. "Boy needs to keep his mouth shut." He mumbled more to himself. "You see, my dear. You are worth more to me alive. Your friend was extra baggage."

My eyes flew open in a rage. I tried to kick him, but he pulled my hair tighter and twisted me, so my back was to his front. His other hand ran down the side of my neck, and down my waist, to rest on my hip. I gave an involuntary shudder, as my hatred for him grew.

"You should be grateful." He whispered in my ear.

"Why?" I said through clenched teeth.

"You're alive, because I need you." He ran his nose up the back of my neck." It would seem a dying race has a chance. Who'd have thought I'd catch a female and male Furyan. Perhaps I can start my own slave farm with the two of you."

I was too shocked to say anything to him. Another Furyan? Could it be true?

Santana sniffed my hair, and began to move his hand lower. I reacted on instinct, my leg going back and hitting it's mark. He doubled over and released my hair. I jerked forward and tried to run, but Santana grabbed my ankle and I fell. I kicked back, my boot clipping him in the chin. I scrambled up, only to come face to face with the barrel of Diaz's gun.

"Now, why would a pretty little thing like you, want to go and get her brains splattered?"

I stood still, my eyes never leaving the gun. It was mere inch from my face. I could hear Santana get up behind me.

"Tie the bitch up. She'll pay for making me bleed."

My hands were pulled behind my back and clasped in thick cuffs. Diaz removed the gun from my face and sneered down at me. I glared back, before I was roughly shoved towards the ship by Nunez.

Once inside, Nunez unhooked my hands from behind me and hooked them up to a ring above my head. I was suspended in the air, my feet barely touching the ground. An angry, bleeding Santana stormed in; a murderous look on his face. I knew what was coming, and tried to brace myself for it.

The first punch was always the most painful; normally I could block most of the pain out, but I was still raw from Sasha's death, so I could feel every bruise form, as Santana continued his assault. After 5 minutes of nonstop punching, a small whimper escaped my lips. Santana laughed in my face, his breathing heavy.

"I thought all you Furyans were fighters."

I didn't answer him; I was in too much pain. He brushed his hand down my cheek.

"Now be a good girl, and think about what you did." He laughed again, "Leave her here. We need to find out where the fuck Riddick is."

Without another word, he and Nunez left. I was left to hang by my hands; battered, bruised and bleeding. I couldn't stop my tears, as they ran down my cheeks. Sasha had shielded me from so much. Now, I was alone….nobody could protect me.

I let myself have a few moments of self pity; a turmoil of emotions running through me. Once my sobbing stopped and my sadness left, it was replaced by fire and fury. I needed to come up with a plan. An idea struck me….Santana had mentioned another Furyan…Riddick… The name pricked something in the back of my mind, but I couldn't pin point it.

Maybe…..

….I shook my head. I needed to stop relying on others. I was alone in this world now, and I had to fend for myself. I took a deep breath. I closed my eyes, as the wheels in my head began to turn.


	2. Goodbye to a friend and a Near Escape

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is chapter 2! Enjoy :)

I had been hanging here for what seemed like hours. I was seriously questioning whether or not I was ever going to be able to use my hands again. I shifted, trying to take the strain off of my hands, but it was useless. Santana had been gone for a couple of hours; he left in a hurry with a couple of his men; leaving me alone…with time to think.

I had come up with a plan…it was risky, but it might just work.

From what I had seen from his men, they had a couple of weaknesses. Diaz was all muscle, but no brain; Nunez and Falco were like a couple of lap dogs; they did whatever Santana told them, no questions asked…and then there was the young guy who had released me; I had come to learn his name was Luna. Odd name, but who was I to judge? He was what could be labeled a "Holy Man." I could hear him walking outside the ship, muttering bible verses and prayers….like that'll save him. But, this was a key part to my plan; his good nature had foolishly led him to believe Santana's word about our release…I would have to use that to my advantage. For all my faults, Sasha used to say that my cleverness could tackle the strongest of men.

Sweat trickled down my neck, my shift was becoming damp. I needed to execute this while there was still light. I waited patiently for him to make his circle around the door again. When I was sure he was close enough to hear me, I acted.

"Hey! I could use some water in here!"

There was a pause and silence. There had been a couple minutes of deafening quiet, when I thought he might just move on; but to my relief, the door opened. I had to squint my eyes against the sudden sunlight, as Luna came into view.

"Oh thank god! I thought you guys had forgotten about me!" I said in my sweetest voice.

Luna approached me with caution. He was either feeling guilty, or someone had informed him of my capabilities.

"Please. I just need some water." I let my voice sound strained and small; hoping that would prick his good nature.

He stepped further into the ship. He moved to unhook my arms; my surprise was short lived as he re attached them around a lower pole. Blood began rushing back into my hands and I let out a grateful sigh. He produced a canteen from his back pocket and held it to my cracked lips. The coolness of the water was refreshing.

"I know that you are a criminal, but I do not agree with Santana that we should treat you as such an animal."

I let my gaze travel across his face, as I continued to drink. He looked so kind and gentle; it made me wonder how the hell he had ended up with a group of ruthless mercs. Luna took the canteen and closed the lid. He tucked it back into his pocket and began to turn around.

"Wait."

He paused to look back at me.

"I'm getting so scared" I lied," Could you just stay? Just for a little while?"

He looked like he would rather run for the hills, but he obliged my request and sat on a crate across from me.

We sat in silence, regarding each other. He couldn't have been much older than 25...but looks can be deceiving…I mean…I am 20, but people have mistaken me for younger. Sasha used to say it was my looks; I was short, I had bright auburn hair and blue eyes, which changed between a green, blue and grey. She used to tease me about looking like a doll. My stomach clenched at the memory. Sasha was now gone and that's all I had left of her…

Luna cleared his throat and it brought me back to the present.

"I am sorry." He said quietly.

When I just stared at him, he continued on. "For your friend."

"Thank you, but it wasn't your fault." My jaw clenched...I wanted nothing more than to squeeze the life out of the snake whose fault it was.

"None the less, I played a part in it. I have spoken a prayer on her behalf." He lowered his gaze. I wasn't sure if it was out of respect or guilt. That was my angle.

"You're religious." It wasn't a question, but he nodded.

"I believe in a divinity that guides and leads us all."

I wasn't religious myself… but I did respect those who had such a firm belief.

"Perhaps you could help me?"

He raised his gaze again to give me a puzzled look.

"You see, my friend…well she was religious, "I lied. Sasha had despised the very notion of an invisible being that judged us all.

"Well…I can't just leave her out there without a proper burial and goodbye…"I let my voice trail off. I didn't need a lie for my tears that streamed down my face.

Luna looked troubled…Like he couldn't decide what to do.

I looked at him through my tears. "Please. I can't just leave her out there. Not without saying goodbye."

Luna ran a hand over his mouth. He let out a deep sigh and stood up. I thought maybe I had pushed it too far, but he came over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I will see what can be done."

With that, he left, shutting the door behind him. I was once again left alone in silence. I sat, dumbfounded, by how easy that was. I must admit…I was beginning to feel a little guilty over my ruse…I quickly shook my head. The sooner I was out of here, the sooner I could stew over it. I clenched and unclenched my hands…it was something to do to pass the time. I leaned forward and placed my head on the pole. I was just beginning to drift off, when angry shouts could be heard outside of the door. I straightened and listened. Santana was back…and boy did he sound pissed.

"It's out of the fucking question!"

The door slammed open, as he and Luan entered. I jerked back, as Santana stocked towards me.

"What game are you playing, little bitch?"

He roughly grabbed my chin, forcing me to look at him.

"I do not see why it is such a big deal." Luna said quietly behind him.

"Such a big deal!? She's a fucking Furyan, that's why it's such a fucking big deal."

I wrenched my chin from his grasp and glared up at him.

"Look, she's injured, scared and weak. She really isn't much of a threat. For her spiritual sake…and your own, I think it's the best course of action."

Santana leveled me with his own glare. My anger had risen exponentially when he had entered.

"If it would help," Luna came up next to him, "I will take a gun. I will make sure nothing happens. We are just going to bury her…she may be more complacent if you allow her this small gift."

I glanced in Luna's direction. For someone who was so soft spoken, he certainly had a way words. I held my breath, as I once again faced Santana's glare.

Santana let an angry breath through his nose. "Fine, but if anything happens, it's on your head boy." He poked Luna's chest for emphasis. Luna nodded and unshackled my hands.

"Come on." He took me by the arm and led me out of the ship. As we made our way out of the camp, my heart began to race. This was it, my only chance.

After a few moments of walking, my heart nearly stopped when I saw Sasha's body. I choked back my tears. How could they just leave her out here like this; exposed to the elements and creatures? When we reached her still form, Luna let go of my arm. He produced a small gun.

I raised my eyebrow at that. A light blush crept up his neck.

"I don't know what's out here…and I promised Santana."

It was then I noticed the shovel on his back. He took it and handed it to me.

"Here, I'll be watching."

I nodded once and took the shovel from his outstretched hand. I got next to Sasha and began to dig.

After a good 15 minutes, I had a hole that I deemed large and deep enough. I wouldn't let my friend be consumed by vultures…it seemed like it was the only thing I could do. Luna helped me gently place Sasha inside. I scrambled out and just stared down. There were no more tears to shed, but I was pretty sure the sadness would never leave. Luna got up from the hole and filled it up; sealing my friend in the ground. He then got on his knees.

"Oh lord, take this soul…"he began to murmur.

I didn't hear the words….I was too far gone in my own thoughts. Taking a deep breath, I looked down at Luna. He had his hands clasped in front of him and his eyes closed tightly. I took a couple of steps backwards and proceeded to get on my knees. I held my breath…but he was still in his prayer. I bent down and retrieved the forgotten shovel by his side. He was still murmuring. I raised the shovel.

"Sorry."

Luna opened his eyes to look at me. He collapsed, as the shovel connected with the back of his head. I jumped up and got the gun from his now relaxed fingers. I glanced back towards the camp. It didn't look like anybody had noticed, but they soon would. My eyes frantically travelled over the desert. I didn't have a destination, I just ran.

My heart began to race, as my fast feet hit the desert floor. I just needed to get as far away as possible. I raced up a hill and stopped.

"There!"

Just down from the hill, buried beneath a heap of dust and sand, was a building. I ran down the hill as fast as I could. As I got closer, I could see it was an abandoned station, just like the one we had made camp. My breathing ragged, I made my way to the door. After a couple minutes of grunts, curses and pushing, I had managed to wedge it open enough to slip in. I pushed it shut and leaned against it, trying to catch my breath.

I had done it. I had gotten away…now I just needed to figure out how to get off this planet and back to New Meccah. I closed my eyes and took a couple of deep breaths. The silence was nice.

My stomach growling interrupted my relaxation.

Opening my eyes, I surveyed the dim room. There wasn't a lot of light, on account that the building didn't have any power.

 _Maybe there is still some packets_ , I thought to myself.

Pushing off the door, I made my way through the room. It was an open concept; a kitchen and tables to my right, storage and beds to my left. I made my way through the kitchen. I rummaged through shelves, trying to find any kind of perishable foods. My elbow accidentally knocked off a cup. It rolled and hit the fridge.

"Shit." I muttered.

It was when I reached down for it, that I noticed how quiet it was. It had been quiet before…but this felt off. I slowly straightened and turned to face the room. I was alone…but I couldn't help feel like I was being watched. I slowly surveyed the room. Something….something was off.

I raised the small gun and made my way to the center of the room.

_Breathe. Just breathe…you're just scaring yourself._

I jumped, as a small bang sounded behind me. I quickly turned back towards the kitchen. A tin can rolled down the floor towards me. It stopped as it hit my boot. I gingerly leaned down to pick it up. I straightened, and turned back to the front door. I nearly fell over as I came into contact with a rock hard body. I jerked my gaze up, to stare into a pair of black goggles.

I was just about to let out a scream. He lunged and I was suddenly trapped between and wall and him. He placed one big hand on my right arm and his other arm came across my throat. I was pinned and it was getting hard to breath. The man loomed over me. He must have been at least 6'0 feet tall; he was muscular and had a predatory air about him. His head was shaved and he had black goggles covering his eyes.

"What do we have here?"

His voice was deep, and it sent a shiver down my spine. The strange man leaned down and literally sniffed my hair. I struggled to get out of his grasp, my hands clutching his arm that was across my neck, but he was so much stronger than I was. I was cursing myself. Why hadn't I trained harder? The man ran his nose down the side of my neck. Normally I would cringe when people did that, especially Santana…but somehow I didn't mind this time. He let out a low growl and it sent a hard spike down to my stomach. He pulled back to look at me.

"Interesting."

My eyes never left his. Although I couldn't seen them, I knew he was staring back into mine.

"Please…" I struggled to get out. His arm was beginning to cut off my air.

"You smell different. Smell like danger." He sniffed the other side of my neck.

Okay, now I was starting to get annoyed. I did the only thing I could think of: I bit his arm. My teeth sunk in, drawing blood. It must have caught him off guard, because his grip loosened enough for me to slip away. I turned and ran to the door; only to be caught again. I was tripped and fell flat on my back. The man was now hovering over me and a deep blush settled on my face. He was seriously too far into my personal zone. He pinned my hands above my head. I glared at him, and he only smirked.

"Now that wasn't very nice."

"Fuck you." I snarled.

"Maybe later." He chuckled.

I was taken aback by his response. It only made me struggle harder. I couldn't get my hands out of his iron grasp. He stuck his nose in the crook of my neck. I bit my bottom lip, trying to suppress the shiver it gave me. He inhaled again. He moved his head, so that he was looking at me again.

"Very interesting." He murmured, more to himself.

I glanced down at his lips. They were a mere inch away from mine. I closed my eyes. I could feel his armor on my front. Bad thoughts, bad thoughts. I couldn't stop the feeling of desire that hit my stomach. Just when I thought something would happen, there was a low barking noise from outside.

The man let out an annoyed growl and my eyes snapped open. He had turned his head, listening. When the barking began to mix with growling, he got up from on top of me and faced the door. I just lay still, not wanting to give any emotion away. The barking continued, and he turned to look down at me, that infuriating smirk on his face.

"We will have to get more acquainted later." He moved around, back towards the kitchen. I sat up and looked at the door. The barking had stopped. When I turned back to ask what was making all that noise, I found that he had disappeared. My eyes traveled over the room, but he was nowhere to be found. My eyes snapped back to the door, as someone was trying to open it. I quickly scrambled up, just in time to see Diaz and Santana burst through.

"Well, well. Cornered like a rat." Santana sneered.

I clenched my jaw. Damn it…if I hadn't been so distracted with…whoever that was, I could have been long gone. Now here I was…caught again.

"Did you really think you could leave so easily?" Santana motioned to Diaz, who came over to me. I doubled over, as his fist came into contact with my stomach. Thick metal cuffs were placed on my hands, and I was slung over Diaz's shoulder. The hot air of the desert hit me full blast, as we made our way back to the camp. I was too angry with myself to say a word.

"Now that that is taken care of, we need to continue on."

"Any idea where he could be?" Diaz questioned.

Santana scoffed. "Not far. He called us, so he must be waiting. Riddick isn't as smart as he thinks he is."

My eyes widened. No…it couldn't be.

"Bet it's a bitch out here with that shine job." Diaz chuckled.

My heart leapt into my throat. Mr. Goggles had a name. I finally remembered who Riddick was. He was a mass murder, and escaped convict. From my travels, I had learned that he was to be considered very dangerous….shit.

My stomach was starting to hurt, as Diaz's shoulder ground into it, with every step he took. From my point of view, I could see only the ground. I could tell when got back to the camp. I heard Santana swear. I was roughly dropped, but Diaz kept a firm hand on my shoulder. I looked around…another ship had landed; in front of it, stood a group of well armed people. An older man, wearing a bullet proof vest stepped forward. Santana sauntered over to meet him.

"Who the fuck are you?" Santana spat.

"I'm Boss Johns. We're here for Riddick." The older man said in a stern tone.

A solid looking blond woman came up behind the man.

"The fuck you are. We got here first."

Boss Johns surveyed the group. His eyes met mine briefly, before settling back on Santana.

"We'd have a better chance working together to catch him."

"We don't need your help. Get back on your ship and get the fuck out of here."

Johns ground his teeth. After a few moments of silence, he let out a sigh.

"How about this, we'll stay here and observe…we will only help if you ask."

Santana seemed to consider him for a moment.

"Fuck." Santana whispered. He knew what Johns said was true, but he was too proud to admit he needed help. "Stay the fuck out of my way."

Johns nodded and motioned for his team to step inside the merc building. We followed and I was plunked into a corner. Santana roughly chained me to the wall and took out his knife. He waved it in front of my face, as my eyes widened in fear.

"Now, if you so much as think about attempting that escape again, I will gut you like a fish. You're bounty may be halved, but you're really pissing me off."

I nodded, not meeting his eyes. He stood up and stormed out the door.

"Let's go!" He and his men went outside.

I watched silently as the new group settled in.

"Who's the girl?" The woman nodded to me.

Boss Johns glanced over to me and shrugged. "Probably another con. Now let's focus."

They all sat at the table and prepared on how to capture Riddick.

I closed my eyes and leaned back against the wall. It would seem that Riddick was a very popular man. My mind wandered back to the abandoned shack. I shivered as I remembered him saying _later._

I cursed my luck…I was stuck between a hard place…and an even harder place.

Fuck.


	3. The Cyclops

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another!

My anger had come and gone…now I just felt tired. My bones ached and my head felt heavy. It was like all the years of running were finally catching up to me. It was nice to be out of that stuffy ship though….

I had been sitting quietly, listening to the new group of mercs talk, while Santana was out scouting for Riddick. They didn't seem like a bad bunch…definitely a hell of a lot better than Santana. But they were still mercs…

I raised my head from where I had been leaning against the wall, to survey the room. The new group of mercs had made a sort of base; they had satellite feeds and tech set up around the room. I couldn't help but be a little impressed…they certainly were way more organized than Santana ever would be.

Their group was scattered around the small barracks; there were two men talking by the storage lockers; and Dahl and Boss Johns were currently discussing something over at the kitchen table. My stomach clenched; I sniffed the air….food. How long had I gone without eating something? By the pains in my stomach I could guess it had been a while. It's not like Santana to ever think about that sort of thing. I leaned to my left, trying to get a look at what was on their plates. If I could just see it….

"You're going to fall over if you're not careful."

I straightened. I hadn't noticed that Dahl had been looking in my direction. She glanced over her shoulder and turned back to me.

"Hungry?"

I bit my lower lip. It was true that I was starving, but the last thing I wanted to do was be in a mercs debt…even for something so small. When I hesitated, my stomach spoke for me. I cringed as it let out a loud growl. Dahl chuckled and came over to me. She produced a small set of keys and unchained my hands. I rubbed at where the metal had been around my wrists.

"How the hell did you get keys?" I asked her.

She shook her head. "The chains he used are an old set. Any generic key would pop it open. Come on." She headed back over to the table.

I gingerly got up and followed her over. She motioned for me to sit where she had been and placed a small plate in front of me. I started shoving the food into my mouth without hesitation.

"Are you sure that's wise?" One of the smaller men said.

"What's she going to do? It's one against four against one. If she runs, we'll shoot."

I paused in my eating to look up at her. She merely stared back, with a slight smirk on her face. She had said it in a light tone, but I knew she wouldn't hesitate to follow through with the threat. There was a silence that fell over the room, as I continued to eat. When I was just about done, I glanced up to see Boss Johns studying me.

"Yes?"

He squinted and cocked his head to the side. "I'm just wondering how someone as young as you…could have such a high bounty on their head."

I swallowed the last bit of my food and straightened my back. I leveled him with a gaze.

"I'm not as young as I look."

"I'd say twenty two is still pretty young for con."

I stiffened.

"I know a lot more about you than you think." He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.

"Reana. Birthplace: Unknown. Nationality…Furyan…but that's been disputed. Been on the run most of your life. Murder and theft is what hiked up the bounty. But…" He paused.

I held my breath. When he didn't continue right away, I said "But?"

He rubbed his hand over his mouth.

"What set the bounty in the first place? It couldn't be simply because you're a Furyan. Although they are known to be extinct…there wouldn't be any cause of that to set such a pretty penny for your head."

As he was speaking, I had begun to break out in a cold sweat. It would seem I had the saving grace that nobody knew about what I knew. Whoever started my bounty wanted to keep it a secret…but why?

"The bounty has nearly tripled in the last five years….it's strange. Bounty Hunters like Santana, being so interested in you….to even take a break from hunting a man like Riddick."

I remained silent. I was dumbstruck by how much he knew.

"How do you know all this?" I whispered.

"While you were out cold for a while, I decided to enter in your information to the data base. Your name struck a bell." He gave me a hard stare. "It's my job to get well acquainted with cons of all kinds. Your name has been passed around quite a bit lately." He looked off, as if in thought. "I'd even considered going after you myself."

My heart began to beat faster…just what I needed…another enemy.

To my relief he continued, "But we are here for a much greater threat." He got up from his seat and headed for the door. "I need to run diagnostics for the ship."

Dahl nodded and picked at her nails absent mindedly.

He stopped short of the door. "But don't think I won't hesitate to kill you, if I think you're going to put a knife in my back." He threw over his shoulder at me.

I gulped and remained silent. Boss Johns made his way outside with one of the other two mercs, who had remained silent during our exchange.

Dahl got up and motioned for me to follow her. I hesitated…

"Move it." She said sternly.

I got up and followed her down a small hallway. When we reached a door at the end, she opened it, to reveal a small bathroom.

"What runs...There are a couple towels in the cupboard. You have twenty minutes. If you aren't out of here by then, I won't hesitate to come in." She gave me a once over and closed the door behind her.

I slowly turned around. The bathroom was small, and dark. The only source of light was coming from a small cracked window. I opened the cupboard and pulled out a medium sized towel. I knocked off the dust and set it on the sink. The shower seemed okay enough, so I turned the taps and let the water run over my fingers. When the water wasn't freezing, I pulled the stick and it switched to the shower head. I quickly stripped out of my clothes, not caring to fold them, and stepped under the water.

I shivered at the cool contact. There wasn't any soap, so I just scrubbed as much dirt off my skin as possible. I shook my hair under the water and rubbed my scalp. Once I was done with my washing, I just stood under the water. I had this little slice of paradise. No one was chasing me…no one to bother me; just silence…blissful silence. I closed my eyes and let my mind wander.

I had never, once in my life, been able to rest. I always on the move…always had to look over my shoulder for potential threats. When would it end? I already knew the answer…it would end in two ways: with whoever was looking for me found me…or my death. My anger spiked and I punched the wall in front of me. It wasn't fair. They could have the map for all I cared…just leave me the fuck alone….but no. Whoever had given me this curse, made sure that if I were to part with it, it would end badly.

Taking a deep breath, I shut the water off and stepped out. The coolness of the floor stung my feet, as I grabbed the towel and began to dry off. I put on my bra and underwear, and slipped on my cargo pants. I leaned over the sink and looked at my reflection in the mirror. My blue eyes had dark circles underneath them, from a lack of restful sleep; my skin was paler than normal and my auburn hair stuck out everywhere. I let my gaze travel over my battered and bruised body. My short frame was softer than I wanted it to be; it gave me the illusion of being weak. Sasha had taught me to use that to my advantage.

I placed my right hand over my left collarbone. When I removed my hand, a perfect shinning imprint was left. I stared at it, as it glowed and twinkled. It was how Sasha knew what I was. Her and her father had found me swaddled up in a rough blanket, in amongst the ruins of a space ship. They had taken it upon themselves to watch over me, and treat me as their own family. It wasn't until Sasha's father had been killed, that any of us knew I was in danger. I sighed and placed my hand over the mark again, effectively hiding it. It was a trick I had learned to do over the years, to protect myself.

It wasn't until I was slipping my shirt back on, that I got the distinct feeling of being watched. I peered around the room; Dahl hadn't come to get me yet, so I assumed that my twenty minutes wasn't up yet. Looking from left to right, it was only me in the room. I peered out the cracked window…I was only able to make out the red desert and nothing more. Shaking my head, I turned and opened the door. I looked out, half expecting Dahl to be waiting on the other side. When there was no one in sight, I made my way down the hall to the kitchen. I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Santana, Boss Johns and the rest of the mercs, all standing near one of the storage lockers.

"We agree that we will keep them locked up in here. That way there is no chance of him getting either of them." Boss Johns addressed Santana.

Santana closed the doors to the storage locker and put a device on the front. He then inserted a rather large key and turned the dial 6 times. The device let out a " _bing_ " and locked the door.

"If anybody tries to open it, it will explode." He stuck the key around his neck and turned to go down the stairs. When he laid his eyes on me, his face twisted in a glare and stalked over to me. Out of fear, I began to take a couple steps back. He caught me and dragged me into the room by my hair. I clawed at his arm, as he increased the pressure on my hair.

He shoved into Diaz, who then placed two of his big hands on my shoulders in an iron grip.

"Are you sure you don't want our help?" Boss Johns leaned against a table, with his arms crossed.

"As I told you before: Stay out of my fucking way." Santana spread his arms wide in a mock bow.

Diaz steered me towards the door, and I struggled to get out of his grasp in vain. It was then I noticed the bloodied message left on the door.

Riddick had written in blood, telling us to get on one ship and leave, or die.

My heart leapt in my throat. That's what was in the locker; something that would prevent either ship from leaving. Santana's group made their way outside, me in tow. Nunez was fiddling with a rather large looking circular machine.

"May I introduce my pride and joy, the Cyclops."

Nunez moved away and the thing came to life. It scanned the surrounding area.

"Yes. YES!" Santana shouted like a crazy man. He then picked up a clear box and walked to the edge of the camp. He held it above his head.

"You see this Riddick! This is for you! I will have your head in this box!"

He was met with the silence of the desert. I didn't think Riddick could hear him….but you never know.

Santana stared out at the desert for a few moments….like he was expecting Riddick to come begging for mercy or something. He huffed and lowered the box. He stalked over to where Diaz and I waited with the others. He smirked and grabbed my chin. I snarled, but he held tight, making me look at him.

He stared at me for a long time, before sneering and letting go of my chin roughly. I glared up at him, with all my hatred bubbling in my stomach.

"Uh…boss?"

Santana looked over at Falco, who was surveying the desert.

"What is it?"

Falco gulped before continuing. "The Cyclops is at full power but…."

Santana's eyes flashed, "But what?"

"Well...It only reaches so far. Did we do a sweep?"

When no one spoke, the tension began to grow. It was evident that the bounty hunters had a certain fear of Riddick…which made me start to like him even more.

Santana let out a string of curses, that made even my ears go red. After he finished his little temper tantrum, he straightened and clenched his jaw.

"We will send out a scouting party once the sun goes down."

"But Riddick…." Nunez began.

"Fuck Riddick! We are going to get this bastard and we are going to get him tonight. Prepare your guns. We move when I say."

Santana stalked off towards his ship and disappeared.

Diaz shook his head, as Falco came up beside him.

"Yeah…hunt the man who can see in the dark. Brilliant." Falco scoffed.

Diaz steered be towards the Cyclops and plopped me down. He tied my hands behind my back onto the machine.

"Keep an eye out, would ya?"

Diaz and Falco both laughed as they made their way to prepare for the night. I never…ever…thought that I would wish a murderer would come get me. I leaned back against the machine and waited. This should be fun…..


	4. Three Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We get to see a little action ;)

"And why did he think this was a good idea?" Falco mumbled.

When the sun had sunk below the horizon, Santana had ordered his group to head out in search of Riddick. I was kind of hoping he would leave me with the other mercs, but that hope was quickly shot down, when he tied a rope to my cuffed hands, and dragged me out with them.

"Wouldn't want them to steal my prized bounty."

I mentally rolled my eyes. It wasn't like they could drag me off in their ship, with the power cells being locked under a bomb lock.

I was being dragged behind Santana, as Diaz and Vargas were on our sides, guns at the ready. The other four patrolled ahead…If I didn't have such a bad feeling, I would have found their stances funny. They kept jumping at every little sound the desert made. Who could blame them? In the whole five minutes that I met Riddick, he scared the ever loving shit out of me. I glanced at were Luna was walking… He had gotten his hand gun back, but he didn't have it out. I could tell he was expecting something to happen by the way his eyes would shift back and forth. He had a cut above his left eye and some bruising. I quickly looked away out of guilt. I had caused him pain for no reason…it would have been justified, had my plan worked….and not road blocked by Riddick. I bit my tongue…I was still pissed at him for it.

Santana jerked my rope, which caused me to stumble. I shot him a glare, which he couldn't see, as his back was to me. My wrists were becoming raw and sore from where the rope was digging into them. I was getting really tired of being carted around, like a fucking show pony.

The group stopped and I nearly ran into Santana, as Nunez indicated we should stop. The road grew quiet, as Nunez held up his gun in front of him. We had stopped in front of a sandy clearing, with cliffs on all sides.

"Why did we stop?" Santana barked.

Nunez looked over his shoulder at him, "Something doesn't feel right."

"Get your pussy asses moving." Santana snarled.

While the group moved forward, moving at a very slow, fear filled pace, I couldn't help but glance around. As much as I hated to admit it, Nunez was right….something wasn't right.

Nunez stopped again, which agitated Santana.

"What the fuck is it now?"

"It's quiet." Rubio whispered.

"Of course it's fucking quiet."

I was starting to get a chill up my spine. I looked at the sand underneath my feet. It looked calm and perfect….really weird.

Santana growled and shoved the end of my rope into Diaz's hands. "Watch her."

Santana stomped off towards where Nunez, Falco and Rubio were scouting out the perimeter. I wiggled my hands, uncomfortably. I was getting a creepy feeling…like a predator was just waiting to pounce on us. I jerked my head to the right. Something had moved in peripheral vision. My eyes narrowed as I tried to make out what it was…but all I could see was the dark desert. Diaz shuffled his feet, side to side. Apparently I wasn't the only one who was paranoid.

"Afraid the boogey man is going to get ya?"

"Shut up." He jerked, his eyes going wider in fear.

"You know, they said that Riddick could easy snap the neck of men twice his size."

"Shut. Up." Diaz said through clenched teeth. By this point, he had a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead. To be honest, my stomach was in knots with fear too…but I wasn't going to show my fear to the likes of Diaz.

Gunshots made both Diaz and I spin around. Falco stood with his gun still smoking, looking in between one of the many rocks that surrounded us.

"What the fuck was that?" Nunez spat.

Something shot by Rubio, causing him to jump and fire his gun. Whatever it was, it was taunting the men. My heart began to race, as I began to take steps back. I gasped as my back came into contact with one of the stones. I had nowhere to go, and Diaz still had the rope clenched in his hand. Santana began twisting and turning, trying to get a look at whatever was out there. The blur shot by again, causing the men to fire off into the blackness of the desert night. Luna, who had been silent until this point, began to murmur under his breath. Diaz scowled and smacked him on the shoulder.

"Go see what's out there, boy."

Luna looked like he would rather gargle a cup of nails, but he did as he was instructed. He cautiously made his way over to where the others were still panicking. I pressed myself against the stone as much as I could.

"Fuck this." Rubio snarled and he began stalking forward.

"Wait-"

There was a loud snap, and then Rubio fell to the ground. His leg had been mangled in what looked like a modified bear trap. I nearly gagged, as I could see his bone sticking out of his leg. Rubio cried out for help, his gun going off in the process.

The mercs raised their guns and looked around.

"Riddick is here. He's fucking using our own traps against us!" Falco shouted.

"How the fuck did he manage to steal them?" Nunez whispered nervously.

Something knocked a bunch of rocks off the higher up cliff, as it went by; causing several to fall and startle our little group. Everyone turned to look.

My eyes darted back and forth, but all I could make out from the blur, was that it had fur. I glanced up, as a pebble hit my head. I had to do a double take…I could have sworn I saw shinning eyes peering down at me. Diaz yelled and fired his gun…which was quickly followed by growling. I held my breath…he had dropped the rope in the confusion. I quickly wrapped the loose end around my right hand, holding on tight so no one else could grab it. I pushed myself off of the rock and took a couple steps to my right. If I could just get away….

My foot hit something metal. I stopped dead in my tracks and peered down. There was a tiny sliver of metal shinning through the sand…I quickly dusted it off with my boot, and my breath caught in my throat; it was another one of those bear traps. I quickly looked around….the whole area was probably covered. We had walked right into a trap. I was just about to yell, when Rubio's screams were cut off. Everyone turned in horror, to see him being dragged into the shadows, by none other than Riddick. I had only glanced at his retreating form, before a rain of bullets followed him.

"Riddick!" Santana screamed. The men continued to shoot, not really hitting anything. Luna stood still, his gun raised. He took a step back and my hand shot out.

"Luna!" I half whispered, half yelled.

He turned to look at me, his eyes wide with fear.

"Don't move."

I glanced down at his foot…it was barely an inch away from one of the traps. I pointed to his foot and he glanced down. Luna gulped and stepped forward again, out of harm's way. He nodded his thanks and quickly glanced back at Santana. The idiot was firing off in all directions. One of the lights that been surrounding us, was knocked out, leaving half of the clearing in darkness. There was a yell and a sickening snap, followed by a thud. I turned to look at where the lamp had fallen, to see Nunez sprawled out on the ground, with his head twisted in the wrong direction.

I stepped away from the bear trap and continued to inch my way backward. My breath was coming out in short gasps, as my fear began to rise. My back came into contact with something hard. At first I thought it was another boulder…until I could feel the heat coming off of it. My mouth opened to scream, only to be covered by a rough hand. I was dragged backwards into the shadows…Santana and his men were too preoccupied to notice.

I began to struggle, in vain, because my hands where still tied in this damn rope. Whoever it was, wrapped their arm around my waist and pulled me closer. I looked up over my right shoulder, and into the shinning eyes of Riddick. My heart leapt into my throat, as our eyes locked. He held me tighter, as he sniffed my hair.

"Strange." His voice sent shivers down my back.

He moved his head, to the other side of mine.

"Silly girl. Trying to go on your own. Didn't you hear, that I could snap the necks of men twice my size?" He growled in my ear.

My face heated with a blush, as he echoes my taunts to Diaz from earlier.

I took a deep breath in and out through my nose. Was he mad?

His removed his arm that was around my waist, and with his free hand, pushed the hair off of my neck. I shivered again, at how close his lips were from my sensitive flesh.

"We gotta stop meeting like this, you and I."

I said nothing…his hand still on my mouth. I squirmed under his touch and he chuckled.

"Been a long time since I smelled someone like me…very…animalistic."

My breathing became more frantic…and it wasn't just fear that was causing it.

"We'll have more time to get acquainted…later. For now, go back to your clueless captor."

My knees nearly buckled. I probably would have fallen, had Riddick not had such a strong grip. He released me and stepped back. I flew around to look at him. He had that infuriating smirk on his face.

"For the record, I don't like being man handled." I snarled at him.

He chuckled and took a step forward. As a reaction, I took one step back. We were secluded in the shadows of some of the larger rocks. I could hear Santana's angry voice in the distance.

We stood there, studying each other. This was the first time I could actually get a good look at him. He was tall, almost a foot taller than I was; his body was covered in muscles and scars. His clothes look worn and ragged…but it only added an edge to his look. My gaze travelled up his body to rest on his eyes. The intense stare he gave me, sent a hard drive of lust, straight down my belly. As if he knew what I was thinking, his smirk grew wider. I quickly looked away and over my shoulder, in the direction we had come.

"Three down." I heard him say from behind me.

I turned to look at him, only to discover he had disappeared….again. How the hell did he keep doing that? Normally I could detect the movements of people around me…but Riddick was like a damn shadow. Never knew when or where he would pop up. I could hear Santana scream in anger. I quickly walked back to the clearing. A hard lump formed in my stomach. Nunez, Rubio and Falco were all dead; though only Nunez and Falco's bodies remained. Luna looked like he was going to throw up. He took a huge breath and pocketed his gun. Diaz was kicking the ground to reveal more of the traps. The ground was splattered with blood…I guess the trap worked. Santana was livid. He was cursing and jumping.

I rolled my eyes; he looked like a fucking toddler to me.

I realized my mistake, as Santana stalked over to me and punched me in the jaw. The impact sent me flying. My head smacked a boulder and I was seeing stars.

"You think this is funny, bitch?" He spat in my face.

I coughed, and I could taste my own blood. My anger grew and something in me growled. I was done being the damsel in distress, and the something agreed. I leapt up and through my head forward. I was satisfied with a crunch as my head connected with his nose. I jumped and kicked him square in the chest. It caught him off guard and he went flying. I landed back on my feet, crouched and snarled. Diaz came charging towards me, and I ducked just as he swung his gun for my head. I kicked him into the sand, and I landed on his back. I swung my still tied hands down on the back of his head. A hand came down on top of my head and clenched my hair. I was ripped from Diaz's back painfully. I began to struggle, only to be stilled by the coolness of the knife pressed against my neck. My breathing was ragged, as Santana pressed the knife harder.

"You little bitch. I should carve you right here." He licked blood off his lips.

"You really need to come up with a better insult." I gasped.

He stuck his nose in the crook of my neck. I stomped on his foot. He didn't loosen his grip, but the pressure on the knife was lessened a bit. He laughed darkly.

"There's that famous Furyan temper. I was beginning to think you were holding out on me."

"Fuck you."

"If only…" he mumbled.

I didn't have a lot of time to mull that statement over, as he brought the hilt of the knife down on the back of my skull. Right before I lost consciousness, I could have sworn I heard an animal growling, deep inside my mind.

 


	5. From One Furyan to Another

I hated waking up after being knocked out; it was never an easy experience. The first thing I noticed was the terrible throbbing in the back of my head. Santana's knife really did a number on it. The next, was that I my hands were in chains…again. Without opening my eyes, I took a deep breath through my nose. I could smell metal, rust and gun powder. I was on our ship again. I clenched my teeth as another wave of pain assaulted my head; I was going to kill Santana, and I would enjoy every moment of it.

_Need to kill. Kill them all._

I winced, as that thought whispered through my mind. Where the hell had that come from? Had I finally gone crazy?

There was a sudden need to lash out at anything. It felt like something inside of me had been pent up for so long, was finally rearing its ugly head, and demanding to be released.

Taking another deep breath, I slowly sat up and pried open my eyes. It felt like there was a hundred pounds on each of my eyelids. How long had I been out?

My hands where shackled in front of me and I was seated on one of the weapon crates. Looking around, I found that I was alone. I was surprised that I didn't wake up to find Santana breathing down my neck, waiting for an opportunity to snap it. I slunked down and brought the cool metal of the shackles to my forehead. It helped relieve some of the throbbing…what I could really use was a good, stiff drink. I didn't know how long I sat there in the silence for…but heart began to race. Normally, I reveled in the silence…but it was becoming too quiet and my mild claustrophobia was kicking in.

"Damn it. Calm down!" I whispered to myself.

I shut my eyes and tried to think of things that I knew would calm me down. I sighed as my mind inadvertently shifted to the only thing that instantly calmed me; Furya.

It was strange that I found so much comfort in a place I don't remember ever being too. But there it was…as clear as crystal. If someone had given me a map, I could easily chart a course to it…I had no idea how…and it frustrated me to know end. It was like I had someone else's memories. If I concentrated enough, I could feel the hot breeze caress my skin…the smell of the ocean…the ghostly laughter of a woman….

I was jerked from my serene state, when the door was slammed open. Santana stepped in. He was quickly followed by Luna and Diaz. Uh oh…here it comes…

"Looks like sleeping beauty is awake." Santana said, in a fake cheery voice. God he was obnoxious.

I remained silent, but couldn't help curling my lip in disgust. He sat down across from me, on one of the passenger seats. He cocked his head as he studied me. We sat there in silence, and my anxiety began to grow. Santana must have known he was making me uncomfortable, as his face took on this horrible little smile.

"What secrets has our little princess been keeping from us?"

Bile rose in my throat.

No…there was no way…

"We've come across something very interesting about you. Perhaps you can enlighten us?" He leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.

_Lie Reana, lie!_

"What are you talking about?" I suppressed a shudder that was threatening to run down my spine.

Santana's smile only grew wider.

"A little birdie told me that you have some very interesting information. A map perhaps?"

_Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit._

My mind was racing. How the fuck did he find that out? It was only Sasha, and I that knew about it….I hoped…

I shook my head, remaining silent.

Santana's smile twisted into a sneer. "Listen, you little bitch. You are going to tell me what I want to know, or I will force it out of you."

Luna coughed and shuffled his feet. My stomach twisted in a knot…if he was getting nervous…then something bad was going to happen.

While my attention was on Luna, Santana lunged at me and grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up at him.

"You know where Furya is. Don't you!"

I tried to look away, but he forced my head back.

"Tell me!" He screamed.

I spit in his face.

He took a step back and wiped his cheek. I knew it was a mistake, as soon as his eyes turned thunderous. His fist collided with my already sore jaw, snapping my head back. I would have fallen, had it not been that my hands where chained. That deep part of me growled again…I snapped back and growled at Santana. He looked momentarily shocked before his face twisted into a scowl.

He kept screaming at me, over and over, each was emphasized with a punch. As much as it hurt, I held my tongue. Furya was the only thing I had left…there was no way I would be telling this weasel anything. I was near passing out, when Luna pulled him away. Santana was shaking with anger. I glanced down at his hand; it was stained red with blood...My blood. I could already feel my lip puffing up, and I could tell I was going to have one hell of a shiner. Luna was calmly saying something too him, but he was too angry to listen. He swore loudly and went out the door, Diaz trailing behind him. Diaz looked back at me and shook his head, before closing the door.

"Ugh..." I groaned softly, placing my battered head on my chains.

"You sure can take a beating."

I glanced up to see Luna still in the room. He looked at me in pity.

"Stop looking at me like that. I don't need, nor want, your pity." I snarled at him. I rested my head again. I was trying to will the throbbing to stop. I licked my lips, they tasted like copper. Luna occupied the seat Santana had been sitting in.

"I'd heard about that."

"About what?" I said, not looking up.

"Do you not feel it? Furyans….have been known to be more in touch with their…"

He paused, and coughed, he almost sounded embarrassed.

I remained silent, hoping he would continue.

"Uh….animal side." He coughed again.

"Huh." It sounded ridiculous…but somewhere deep inside me…that growl agreed.

We sat in silence. I almost forget he was there, until he spoke softly.

"Is it true?" He asked his voice hesitant.

I sighed. Maybe it was the guilt that I had used him, or because I was still woozy from Santana's beating, but the word just escaped through my numb lips.

"Yes."

Luna was silent. I looked up from my huddled position, to look at him. He had a puzzled look on his face; like he couldn't decide what to do next.

"How did Santana find out about it? I never told anyone about it." I said weakly. I was kicking myself, when I heard the quiver in my voice.

Luna ran his hands up and down his thighs. "Boss Johns. He has files on almost every criminal in the system. He came upon it by accident."

Crap. If Boss Johns knew…then there was a chance that other mercs did too.

"Please," I half begged, half sobbed." Don't tell them. Just let them think it's a rumor." Normally I wouldn't degrade myself to begging, but at this point….I was all out of options.

Luna's brow creased in that puzzled look again; he almost looked guilty. After a couple minutes, he got up and made his way to the door. Just before he stepped out, he turned back to me.

"I will pray for your soul." Without another word, he stepped out.

_What the hell does that mean?_

I softly banged my head against my chains.

_I am so fucked._

_**AUTHOR POV** _

He took a deep breath. He had been tracking the mercs back to their ship, after he had killed three of them.

Riddick moved silently, as he climbed on top of Santana's ship. He took a deep breath….There it was. The scent that was sweet, yet familiar to him. When he'd first saw her attempting to escape, he had contemplated ending her life, but she'd caught him off guard. The second time…well, he'd become intrigued. There was something more to her…..

They had taken the unconscious girl inside. He quietly popped the grate that covered the ventilation fan. It was just wide enough for him to squeeze through. Riddick crouched, as he fell to the floor; his legs absorbing the force effortlessly. He stood to his full height and removed his goggles. They'd chained her to a pole in the cargo bay. Riddick moved silently, blending into the shadows. To him, the dark was his play ground; forever his. While most shriveled in the dark, he excelled.

He finally entered the cargo bay, to see that she was still out cold, chained on the other side. He didn't know what it was about her that held his attention. He crouched in front of her. She was a small little thing; barely reaching his chest, with a head full of flame colored hair; and pale skin. He'd seen her crumbled…but he'd also seen and unleashed fire in her eyes.

He leaned down and gently touched a piece of her hair, taking in her scent. It was her smell that caught his attention; something about it….sweet and familiar. His jaw clenched; someone was coming. He stepped back, and looked around. There were some low hanging pipes, with a ledge, just far enough in the darkness. He swiftly pulled himself up, as the door banged open. He seated himself and waited.

Santana sauntered in. The girl was stirring. The merc looked confident…oh how he'd like to wipe that look off his face. The girl was snarling at him. Riddick peered closer, as Santana sat down.

"What are you talking about?"

"A little birdie told me you have some valuable information. A map perhaps?"

The girl looked startled, but masked it quickly.

Riddick took a deep breath; he could smell the fear rolling off of her. His inner animal screamed for him to go down there and protect her, but he remained where he was.

Her silence was angering Santana when he tried to press her further. Something caught her attention and that's when Santana striked. He beat the girl mercilessly.

"You know where Furya is, don't you!"

Riddick tensed at the mention of his home world. He'd been searching for years…she couldn't…..

Riddick's anger rose with each punch. He fought his animal hard, and remained where he was. It suddenly struck him; he recognized her scent. _Furyan._ His stomach clenched. He thought he was the only one left of the dying planet. But her scent betrayed that. His inner animal fought all the harder for him to move. It snarled and screamed one single word: _**MINE.**_

When Santana could see he would be getting nowhere, he left with the hulk Diaz. The religious boy remained; speaking soft words.

"Is it true?"

Riddick tensed and crouched lower. It was almost inaudible, but he caught her soft, "Yes."

Riddick eyes closed, as a sudden wash of disbelief swept through him. This girl…

Riddick quietly landed on the floor bellow, the boy not noticing. He waited and watched as the boy went to leave.

"I will pray for your soul." The boy left.

Riddick watched him leave. Soft sobbing had his gaze switch to the girl. She had curled herself into a fetal position, or as much as her chained hands would allow. He wanted to go to her and protect.

He smirked as she shot up and kicked the wall and growled. His animal purred in response; he was beginning to like the fire in her. Riddick stepped back; for now, he'd have to bide his time. His little Furyan would have to wait for him. He'd come back for her. He needed her; Riddick melted into the shadows and made his way off the ship; a plan already formulating in his head.


	6. A Storms a Brewing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun duuuuunnnnnn!

There's only one flaw that I really hate about my personality; it's how fast my anger can come and go. After Luna had made his exit, my anger had reared its ugly head. It was bright, but brief…and now I had a sore foot because of it….friggen icing on the cake.

I was starting to think that they had forgotten about me…It had been at least two hours since I had heard or seen anyone, and my back was starting to protest at the odd angle I had been sitting in. I gently twisted my torso from side to side, hoping to release some of the tension. I groaned when nothing worked; I settled for rubbing my head against my cuffs.

Just when I was about to drift off again, the door swung open. I tensed for a moment, afraid that Santana was coming back for another round, but to my surprise it was Boss Johns who stood in the door way. He gave me a small smile as he made his way over to me. My lips twisted into a scowl; how dare him. He was the one who had told Santana about Furya…why couldn't he have kept his mouth shut? I inched backward in my seat, sending a clear message that he wasn't welcome. He ignored it and reached for my hands. I held my breath, anticipating the worst; but I was left dumbstruck when he unlocked my chains. I gaped up at him, as he stepped back.

"You're going to catch flies with your mouth open like that."

My mouth snapped shut. I rubbed my wrists where the cuffs had been, my eyes never leaving his. He leaned against the wall next to the door, with his arms crossed. I gingerly stood up from my crate and stretched my back. I sighed when it gave a satisfying pop. I continued stretching my tired limbs, as he stood there, watching me. I raised one eyebrow at his silence.

"What?" I snapped.

He cocked his head to the side. "Well, no offence, but I am trying to see why Santana's men consider you to be a threat?"

I had to suppress a growl at him. My "animal", as Luna called it, wanted to attack him, for the very notion of him calling me weak. Instead, I scowled at him and straighten. "Didn't your mom ever tell you to, never judge a book by its cover?"

He raised his eyebrows in surprise of my outburst. Silence settled over the room again, as we both had yet to move. I was growing tired, and shifted from foot to foot. The silence was broken by him clearing his throat.

"Santana may have gotten a hold of some information he wasn't supposed to."

My eyes narrowed, and he quickly continued.

"The man doesn't understand personal boundaries. I caught him surfing through our data files."

I mirrored his stance and crossed my arms. I wasn't sure if he was completely telling the truth…or if he was trying to make nice, to worm his way into my affections.

"Now," he continued," I'm not going to apologize. I was surprised he hadn't come across the information sooner….just makes our job a whole hell of a lot more complicated."

I gave him a small shrug. By this point, my nerves where shot, Santana having beating them out of me.

Boss Johns just shook his head. "Come on. Thought you might be hungry."

I was going to disagree with him, but my stomach twisted, almost violently, at the thought of food. I bit my tongue and followed him out, into the desert air. We entered the main bunker, and I was sat down at the kitchen table. It was then that I noticed that Santana and his men where no were to be seen. Dahl, who had been sitting in a chair down to my right, must have noticed my confused expression.

"They are having a little "group meeting". He still thinks he doesn't need our help." She scoffs and goes back to the little electronic piece she was fiddling with.

I let out a little sigh and shrugged. Santana might be a merc…but he was dumber than a bag of hammers. I couldn't fathom how he had not been killed yet.

I was broken from my revere when a plate of food was set down in front of me. It was the heated up packaged stuff, but it was certainly better than the nothing Santana had been giving me. It was bland…maybe a little salty and the texture sucked…but right now it was heaven for my empty stomach. I continued to eat, as the mercs talked quietly. I let my gaze slid over to the locked locker off in the corner. I was surprised that Riddick hadn't tried to open it yet. Santana's bomb lock was still in place…he seemed to think that that would be enough to keep anybody out…yeah...right.

I just finished putting the last morsel of food in my mouth, when Santana stormed in. He spared me a sneer, which I returned whole heartedly, and came to stand in front of Boss Johns. The two men stood in silence, regarding each other. Everyone in the room, including myself, shifted uneasily, as the tension in the room grew thicker.

Boss Johns stood up and faced Santana, standing toe to toe.

"We are sending out a search party." Santana said.

"You sure that's a good idea? Look what happened the last time you did." Boss Johns said in return.

Santana gritted his teeth. "We'd be able to catch by surprise. In this light." He gestured out the window.

Boss Johns nodded his head to the side and two of his men stepped forward.

"They'll go with you."

Santana scoffed and moved away to gather his weapons.

"Like I said, we don't need your fucking help."

I rolled my eyes. He was stupid and stubborn. He'd already lost three men, but he was still too proud.

"Oh it's not help we are offering," Boss Johns sat down again and comfortable, "Think of it, like an insurance policy. We both have claim to Riddick. I want to make sure you don't kill him before I get the chance to talk to him."

Santana looked like he wanted to spit nails, but he gave a tight nod. He went over to Diaz and whispered commands to him. Diaz nodded and him and the rest of the mercs left. Santana came back towards the table and sat down, placing his feet on the table. Dahl looked repulsed and shot him a glare, to which he returned with a sleazy smile. Boss Johns got up from his seat and made his way over to the door.

He motioned for Dahl to follow him. The two then left out the door, leaving me alone with Santana. I tensed as the silence drew on. I had no idea what he was planning or thinking. When I shifted in my seat, his eyes shot to mine.

"Something wrong?" He sneered.

I bit my lip, trying not to say anything. My anger tended to make my tongue looser than I wanted it. It really got me into trouble.

When I continued to look ahead and ignore him, he got up and came to stand behind my chair. He pressed his chest to my back and I shivered at the unwanted contact. He placed his hands on my shoulders and I jerked; his grip on my shoulder tightened to the point of being painful. I bit my lip harder, drawing blood, so I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of my pain.

"You've caused me so much pain and trouble."

I remained silent, hoping he would leave soon.

"Did you know who my box was for originally?" When I didn't answer, his grip tightened even more; I gave my head a quick shake.

"Your friend. Her head was so lovely, I just couldn't let it go."

My breath hitched. As morbid as it sounded, I was glad Sasha had died before then…she didn't deserve the treatment this bastard was going to give her.

"What was her name?"

"Sasha…" I said through clenched teeth. My anger was starting to come back, with the way he was talking about her.

"Ah..Sasha. Very lovely girl. Dark hair and smooth skin." As he said this, he let one of his hands slid down my arm, in a kind of caress. I nearly gagged with revulsion.

"I would think about her. How she'd feel as I fucked before I killed her."

"Stop." I whispered.

"Would she be a temptress? Or the wild fucking animal I'd found her as."

"I SAID STOP!"

I leapt up and out of his grip, and spun around to face him. I didn't give him time to react as I lunged and fell on top of him. My fist collided with his jaw, over and over again. I wouldn't have stopped, had it not been for Boss Johns pulling me off him. I struggled against his arms, my eyes seeing red. Santana lay on the floor, his chest rising and falling in rapid breaths. Boss Johns grunted as I swung my elbow back and hit him in the gut, but he still didn't let go. Santana let out a scruffy laugh and struggled even harder. Dahl stood between us two, preparing to intervene if necessary. I started to calm down, my breath coming in short gasps. I was still angry, but I wouldn't get anywhere with Johns holding me back. Santana stood up and wiped his mouth, looking down on the blood that covered his hand. I smiled…at least I could get some satisfaction.

"Getting your ass handed to you by a girl…great look for a bounty hunter." Dahl chuckled, as she moved to pick up one of the guns.

Santana sneered and came to stand in front of me. He looked down at me, one of his lips busted open.

"The next time you won't be so lucky. I will cut your head off and you and Riddick can share the box." He spat at me, some blood landing on my cheek. I wanted to stick my tongue out at him like a three year old, but I restrained myself.

"Why don't you go for a cool down?" Boss Johns suggested over my shoulder.

Santana glared at him. The two were in a stare down, before Santana gave up and stormed out of the bunker. Once he was outside, Boss Johns let go of me and I moved away.

"Should have just let her finish the job." Dahl said, not looking up from the gun she was inspecting. Boss Johns just shook his head. He made his way to the door, but Dahl stopped him.

"Are you sure you want to go?"

He looked at her and said softly, "This is a chance."

Dahl nodded and let go of his arm, and he opened the bunker door.

"Watch her." He nodded towards me, and then he's gone.

I plunked myself down in one of the chairs to my left and let my head rest in my hands. I always seemed to feel so drained after dealing with Santana. Dahl cocked the gun and looked down the sight. When she was satisfied, she put it away and turned to look at me.

"He's an ass."

I grunted in agreement and shot her a smile. I was beginning to like Dahl…she reminded me of Sasha. Even though she was a merc, I didn't think she could be all that bad. She smiled in return and stretched her back.

"I think I'm going to hit the shower. Don't run, or I will shoot." She gave me a pointed look, to which I gave her a mock salute. Shaking her head, she soon disappeared down the hall, leaving me alone in the quiet bunker. I waited and listened. Once I heard the shower start, I silently made my way to the door. I had been waiting for a chance to look around. I wasn't stupid…I knew that I need those power cells to get the hell off of this planet, so I needed to stick close; but now was my chance to scope out the place, in case it all went to hell. I opened the door slowly and peered out. The camp was empty, and Santana was nowhere in sight. I had to be quick. I slipped out and shut the door behind me. I had only glanced at my surroundings for a couple of minutes, while being carted between buildings. Both ships sat docile, kind of making a circle around the abandoned building. I did a 360…I was about to go back in, when I spotted a ladder on the side of the bunker. I quickly made my way over to it and pulled myself up each rung. I stood up and made my way over to the ledge. I shielded my eyes, as I peered over the sandy dunes. Off in the distance, there massive mountains and hills. I could see the clearing where Riddick had lured the mercs; but what really caught my attention, were the big, dark, nasty looking clouds that where just beyond the mountains. I took a deep breath and smile. I've always loved rain, ever since I was a little girl. The sounds and smells of it, always had a calming effect; and it made everything new and vibrant. But something about those clouds were off….

"What the hell is that?" I squinted.

"A storm like no other."

I spun around, my hand flying to my throat. Riddick was leaning against one of the vents. He smirked at my shocked expression.

"Would you quit doing that!?" I half shrieked.

He let out a low chuckle and sauntered his way over to me. I instinctively took a step back; being careful not to fall off of the roof. He stopped right in front of me; I had to crane my neck to look up at him. His goggles were back, and it made him look all the more dangerous….and sexy.

My face lit up with a blush at that last thought, and I gripped my hands in front of me. He must have seen my discomfort, because he got the goofiest grin on his face. He lifted his hand and twirled a piece of my hair. We stood there watching each other…predator and prey.

I cleared my throat. "What did you mean by, 'a storm like no other'?"

He cocked his head to the side, as if he couldn't think of anything to say. He dropped his hand and stepped around me to look at the oncoming storm. I turned and followed his gaze. There was a distant rumbling, and a couple of flashes of lightening.

"Are you worried?" I asked.

Riddick glanced down at me and smirked again. "Nah..but you should be."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Why should I be afraid? It's only a little rain."

He turned to look at the storm again. "It's not the rain…but what comes with it."

Confused, I let my gaze go to the dark clouds again…I had gotten a nervous feeling, as I continued to watch it.

"What's in the rain?" I turned to see him walking away.

"Hey!" I jogged over to him. I grabbed his arm to stop him; he surprised me by gripping my hand and twisting me. My back rammed against vent and pinned me to it. He lowered his head, so we were at eye level. My anxiety spike and my heart began to race. I couldn't help but feel the way his body fit against mine. I could feel the heat rise in my face, as he let out a dark chuckle. His face was an inch away from mine..our noses brushed together. If I just moved a little forward…

A loud yell and crash caught my attention. My eyes flickered to the right, towards the ladder. Something was going on in the bunker.

"I really should-" I was cut off, when his lips came crashing down on mine. His lips were warm and soft. I was so stunned that I stared at him wide eyed. After a moment, my animal took over and began to kiss him back. I closed my eyes and lost myself, in the heat and dominance that was Riddick….if only for a moment.

Another crash sounded. Riddick pulled his head back; we were both breathing hard. My heart beat was like a drum. Riddick smirked and stepped back; he glanced over his shoulder and then back to me.

"Sounds like someone's discovered my present."

I blinked a couple of times, trying to clear my head. "What present?"

His smirk grew wider. "Better get back…wouldn't want them to think the big bad con got ya."

I glared at him, which only caused him to chuckle. He stepped back and gracefully jumped off the roof. I ran to the edge, but he was already gone by the time I got there. I sat back on my feet and took a moment to gather my thoughts. Though the kiss had been brief and unexpected, it wasn't entirely unwelcome. I shook my head…what the hell had come over me? I got up, dusted myself off and made my way back down the ladder. If I didn't get back before Santana, he was going to be pissed. The camp was still empty, so I made my way to the door and slipped back inside. When I turned back towards the room, I was greeted to a room full of anxious looking mercs.

"There's no fucking way he could have gotten into here. I have the key!" Santana snarled to the rest of the group.

Everyone stood, looking at the bomb locked locker, as Santana stood in front of it, waving the key that was around his neck.

"He could have slipped it off at anytime. It's not like you're that observant." Dahl sneered.

"Shut the fuck up, you bitch."

"Dahl, enough."

"He's just testy because I broke the little peeping toms nose."

I moved a little closer in the room, still keeping myself behind everyone, so I wasn't caught. I sat down in the chair that I had before and watched the scene unfold. Apparently the "present" Riddick had left, was a message that he had the power cells. How he managed that…I had no idea.

"Look." Santana inserted the key and began twisting. He got to two numbers before he was stopped.

"Wait." Boss Johns yelled. He'd taken a couple of steps forward.

"What is it now?" Santana said impatiently.

"Think about it…why would he leave the lock locked? Why wasn't the door open?"

"Maybe it's because he's fucking stupid?"

My face twisted in a glare…Riddick wasn't stupid and he certainly was a hell of a lot smarter than Santana.

"Or, maybe he knew that we would check and rigged the bomb."

That gave Santana pause…He turned and looked over at his hands that were still in the key.

"He could have changed the numbers, to screw with us." Diaz added. Santana had gotten a worried look on his face.

"How the hell can we tell if he did that?" Moss, one of Boss Johns mercs asked.

"Someone has to put the code in." Dahl's voice had a hint of laughter in it. She was enjoying this.

Everyone took a step back, leaving Santana with his hand still on the key. His gaze went over the room, before settling back on the lock in front of him.

"Ok, ok, ok."He said under his breath.

My heart leapt in my throat. What if he did rig it? I sat forward a little, as my breath became more rapid.

Santana gripped the key tighter and gulped.

"One."

_Click._

Santana let out a breath.

"Two."

_Click._

Two out of the four…maybe he didn't…..

"Three." Santana had begun to shake.

_Click._

There was an audible sigh around the room.

Santana froze…he began to breathe harder and harder, his hands shaking.

"Do it." Dahl goaded.

He swiped a hand over his sweaty brow. I held my breath.

"Four."


	7. The Silent Thief

"Four."

Santana was now shaking like a dog. Who could blame him? There was a huge chance he would be blown to smithereens…not that I wouldn't mind. Everyone in the room was tense, as the silence stretched out. I clamped my hands on the seat of my chair, waiting for Santana to turn the lock for the last time. Sweat had begun to drip down the side of my temple. Everyone waited, as Santana just stood there, with this hand on the key.

"Do it." Dahl practically snarled.

Santana's fear stricken face turned to look up at her.

"Just…just g-give me a moment."

I clamped a hand over my mouth, at the giggle that threatened to escape. I wasn't sure if it was just the humorous look on his face, or the hysteria of my fear creeping up.

Santana turned back to the lock, and began taking heavy breaths in. He steadied his shaking hands by clamping them tighter on the key. I gulped and began to rise out of my seat.

"Four."

I tensed and closed my eyes, waiting for the worst.

_Click._

When silence followed, I opened one eye to see Santana standing before a now unlocked container. He was as white as a ghost. I opened my other eye, and let out a sigh. I knew Riddick wouldn't take the chance of killing everyone…but there still was that little sliver of doubt.

There was an audible sigh in the room, as the tension evaporated. Santana let out a nervous chuckle and opened the door wider. To my surprise…both power cells sat in the exact same spot they had been left in.

"What the hell?" Diaz said under his breath.

"Told you he was fucking with us." Vargas said, nudging Diaz.

This time, I couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped my lips. Santana must have heard it, because his look of relief, twisted into a snarl. Without closing the locker, he stalked over to me and clamped his hand on the back of my neck. I twisted, trying to get him to release his painful grip.

"How the fuck did he know they were in there?" He spit in my face.

"How should I know?" I snarled back, my finger nails digging into his arm.

"You're his fucking whore!"

I snapped. I spun around, ignoring the throbbing pain in my neck and bit into his arm. Santana yelped and finally let. I moved away from him, my mouth now having a copper-ish taste. I swiped my hand across my mouth and it came back red. I quickly glanced up at Santana, who was now holding his injured arm. His sleeve was soaked red, and there were bite marks. He looked up at me in shock.

"You bitch. I'll have your head for that!"

Just as he was about to jump at me, one of Boss John's merc, a dark skinned man, held him back. I felt hands go around my arms in an iron grip. I looked back to see it was Boss Johns who was holding me back. I snarled and tried to get from his grip to attack Santana.

"Enough!" Boss John's sharp voice commanded. I continued to struggle, even though I knew it was in vain. Santana head butted the man behind him, but he didn't lose his grip. I jumped, swinging my legs forward. In the process, I knocked over one of the many computer monitors, its screen shattering as it hit the ground.

"Get them outside!" Boss John's yelled.

Both Santana and I were dragged outside, into the middle of the camp. I was handed off to Dahl, who looked like she was getting a kick out of the whole thing. Santana shook off the man's grip and straightened his clothes.

"That little whore has something to do with this. She's in league with Riddick." Santana waved his finger at me.

"Better than being with your sorry ass." I muttered.

Santana lunged at me again, but he was swiftly pulled back.

"Stop it. This won't solve anything. You," Boss Johns pointed at me, "quit riling him up."

I shot him a glare, but kept my mouth shut.

"And you," He said turning on Santana, "need to grow the hell up."

"Fuck you." Santana spat, as I rolled my eyes.

I could hear Dahl chuckle behind me. She finally let me go and I stood up straighter and cracked my back. Santana leveled me with a glare, which I returned, my lip curling up. I really hoped Riddick killed him. I couldn't stand him.

"Now. We need to figure out where Riddick is. Why he sent us on a wild goose chase and we need a plan to capture him." John's crossed his arms.

Everyone had kind of gathered around the little camp and stayed silent. I was silently fuming…there has to be a way to get away from this planet without the mercs. I glanced around the camp; everyone seemed on edge. My eyes landed on Luna. I hadn't spoken to him since our last meeting on the ship. He was leaning up against one of the ships, with one arm crossed over his chest, while he stroked his chin with his other hand. I frowned as I studied him. He seemed like a good guy…I couldn't fathom how he had gotten mixed up with Santana. Santana was the route of evil….well…at least in my eyes.

"Anybody come up with anything?" Vargas piped up.

"We need to think. Riddick is planning something…his plan of distracting us, obviously failed with using Valco's body, so he'd need to act fast." Dahl started to pace.

"He's running out of options," Diaz put in. I raised my eyebrows in surprise. I was starting to think he was all muscle, and no brain…

Apparently I wasn't the only one surprised by what he said. Everyone turned to look at him, and he quickly became uncomfortable. He shifted from foot to foot and readjusted his gun.

"I mean," he cleared his throat, "it's not like he'd use the same tactic twice…."

The mercs seemed puzzled by this.

"Right?" Diaz said when the silence began to stretch.

It was if a light bulb went off in Santana's head. "Motherfucker!" he screamed.

He ran towards the door of the bunker and went inside. Dahl grabbed my arm and dragged me after the rest of the group. Santana had run over to the locker, to find the doors wide open. He began thrashing around and yelling, hitting anything within in reach. I moved around him, Dahl right behind me, towards the open locker. I nearly laughed; the power nodes where gone.

"Shit." Johns said under his breath.

"What the hell are we supposed to do now?" Dahl turned to look at Boss Johns. While everyone was panicking, I took a step back from the now empty locker and let my gaze wander the bunker. How the hell had Riddick gotten in here without anybody seeing? Unless….I smiled. He was in here the whole time. Which means…?

I took a couple more steps back, hoping nobody would notice my wandering gaze. I glanced at the group of mercs; they all seemed to be arguing amongst themselves. I stopped when I felt a familiar shiver run down my spine. It was like I could feel someone's eyes burning into my back. I spun around; behind me there were a row of lockers and power cables that hung in the back. I peered into the shadows…my animal purred. He was there…somewhere. For some reason, I could feel a smile tugging on my lips. I bit down on my cheek, _hard._

"Hey!"

I spun around to see Santana turned towards me.

"You don't fucking move!" He grabbed my arm and shoved me up against the wall. I bit back a yelp, as the cool metal bit into my skin.

"Where is he?" He growled.

"I don't know."

He clenched his jaw. He then wrapped his hand around my throat, giving it a squeeze in warning.

"Where is he?" He said a little louder.

"I. Don't. Know." I said through clenched teeth.

"Don't lie to me, bitch!" He squeezed harder, effectively cutting off my air supply. I thrashed about, clawing at his arms. Santana swore as I scratched over my bite marks. My vision began to grow dim, so I did the only thing I could think of. I lifted my knee, and it connected with his groin. He wheezed and finally let go. I feel to my knees, coughing as I tried to suck in some oxygen. I crawled to my right, heading for the door, but Santana had recovered faster than I had hoped. He grabbed my ankle and fell on top of me. He raised his fist and just before it collided with my face, I jabbed my hand up into his throat. Santana's hands flew to his neck, as his face turned bright red and his eyes bulged. I used my weight and knocked him off of me. My eyes darted around for any kind of weapon. A flash of something bright caught my eye. Sticking out of one of Santana's pockets was a knife. It was risky…but I was willing to take that chance. Santana rolled to his hands and knees and prepared to lung. I tensed, waiting for the opportune moment. Flew at me and I kicked my feet out. I hit his stomach and threw him to the side. Wasting no time, I flipped onto him and reached down. I snagged the knife and put it to his throat. He was about to lean up, but froze as I pressed the blade harder. We sat there, panting and staring at each other.

When I caught my breath, I leaned closer, "Now, you listen asshole. I am done being your punching bag. If you so much as look at me the wrong way, I will plunge this blade into your skull and dance on your corpse." My eyes flashed at that last statement and I let out a low growl. Something within me had awoken, and it was time that I embraced it. Santana must have sensed the shift too, because his hands came up in defense. I got up and removed the blade from his throat. I walked over to the kitchen table and leaned my hands on top of it. I took a couple of deep breaths to steady the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I could hear Santana as he got up from the ground. I turned and looked over my shoulder. Diaz had bent to help him, but Santana snarled and shook off his arms. He glared at me and huffed a couple of times.

"Make no mistake. Just because you won this time, doesn't mean I won't have your head."

I nearly rolled my eyes at his stubborn stupidity. I straightened and made my way over to the front door. I rubbed my sore neck and twirled the knife in my other hand. I opened the door and stormed out. I could hear the mercs following me. Even if I had made a point that I wasn't going to be pushed around anymore…I was still a fugitive and captive. Oh well….I could at least bask in my small victory for a little while.

The wind had picked up and was now throwing the sand around, making it hard to see. I put my hand to my eyes, trying to shield them as best I could.

"What the hell is that?" Vargas shouted.

I turned to look back at him, and followed his gaze. He was looking out towards the wide open desert. The rest of the mercs followed suit and I turned to look back.

A dark figure moved through the sand. My breath caught in my throat and my animal purred in pleasure. Walking towards the camp, in full daylight, was none other than the con himself.

"Riddick."

 


	8. A Failed Proposition

"Riddick."

It was like a scene from a dream; the sand billowing about, the harsh desert air seemed to part as Riddick made his way through. His black goggles giving him a harsh edge, to his already predatorily stride. The mercs around me seemed to be in the same half dazed stupor that I was; nobody knew what to do. There was a sharp bark that filtered through the air. My eyes snapped to the space just off to the right of Riddick; a large jackal-dog came running at top speed. That would explain the distractions in the field the other night. His barking seemed to snap the mercs out of their daze, because they all started moving at once.

"Dahl. Up top." Boss Johns barked.

Dahl quickly nodded and shot off behind the building, Vargas quickly following behind. I watched as they went, and my eyebrows scrunched. What were they planning on doing?

Santana seemed to be preparing to attack. He unsheathed his long blade and took a defensive stance. Boss Johns quickly cocked his gun and stood slightly behind him. I turned to see Riddick still walking towards us. I wanted to scream and shout; what the hell was he thinking?

"Ri-"I started, before a large hand covered my mouth. I glanced up to see Diaz standing behind me, his other hand in an iron grip on my arm. He pulled me back towards the camp, both of us walking backwards. I heard a thump and twisted in Diaz's arms, to look up at the roof of the mercs' ship. Dahl and Vargas were getting into position; she set down a large, black case and opened it up. My eyes widened at the large sniper she produced. She then proceeded to load it, with what looked like darts. They wouldn't kill him, would they? His bounty was too high…

I let my gaze swing back to Riddick. Couldn't he see what the mercs where doing? If he could, it didn't faze him. He continued languidly striding towards us, his dog at his side. My heart began to race as Dahl cocked the sniper; she got into position and aimed it at Riddick.

"Sir."

Boss Johns nodded without taking his eyes off of Riddick. Santana kicked something with his right boot…it was that damn box. Johns seemed to notice the action too, as he moved away to stand closer to the camps edge.

"Riddick." Johns called. Riddick didn't stop. He kept coming towards us. Everyone tensed as Riddick stopped right outside the camps edge. He seemed to be sizing up the situation, as he gazed towards us, with a slight smirk on his face.

"Lot of gun power, for just little old me."

His deep voice held a hint of laughter. Johns stepped forward, only to be blocked by Santana.

"It's a good thing you're here." Santana sneered, "Saves me the trouble of hunting you down."

Riddick turned his head slightly to look in Santana's direction. It was obvious that both men wouldn't back down from their staring contest. The next few minutes were tense, as no one dared to move. It was like watching a car wreck; you know you should look away, but you just can't.

"Don't you think it's weird that he came out in the open like this?" Vargas spoke quietly to Dahl, who was still in her locked position, with her sniper trained to Riddick.

As if he'd heard him, Riddick's mouth twitched in an attempt to hide a smile.

"Riddick, I am here to take you in for questioning." Boss Johns put his hand on Santana's shoulder, indicating for him to step down. Santana shot a glare in his direction, but didn't say anything. Riddick crossed his arms over his chest and regarded Boss Johns through his dark goggles.

"Now, what sort of questions could a bounty hunter, want from a convict? Is it what the government wants….or is it something,"he paused. "Personal?"

Boss John's jaw clenched at that statement. I knew he'd wanted Riddick for something…it couldn't just be that. Diaz's grip on my arm seemed to relax a little during the exchange.

"I need to know what happened 10 years ago." He said quietly. Santana glanced between the two.

"You sure you wanna know the truth there Johns? You know what they say…..Curiosity killed the cat."

"I want…"Johns took a deep, steadying breath," I need to know what happened."

Riddick shook his head. "How about this? I have something you need…all of you. I give you a cell, you leave the girl and then you all climb on to one of those ships and you leave with your life."

"And just let you go, and you take my trophy? Fuck that." Santana snarled.

Riddick turned his attention towards him. "It's either that, or we are all dead. Don't wanna be here when it starts raining." He nodded his head over his shoulder.

Dark, black, angry clouds were forming off in the distance. They had gotten a hell of a lot closer, in the short amount of time since I had last observed them. I shifted from foot to foot, my anxiety level rising. Riddick's warning echoing through my head. Both Boss Johns and Santana gazed at the impending storm. After a couple of minutes of silence, Santana let out a rough growl.

"Pretty boy afraid to get wet?" He shot at Riddick.

Riddick remained silent, as if he was waiting for an answer. My gaze went back up to where Dahl was sitting; she hadn't moved an inch.

"Orders?" She said into her ear piece.

Boss Johns said nothing, as he observed the situation. I was itching to get into some action. Maybe Riddick will finally come through and kill Santana.

The tension that hung in the air was so thick, you could practically slice it with a knife. Riddick's dog let out a low growl, as Santana took a step forward.

"Fuck this!" Santana through down his box and lunged for Riddick. As Riddick tensed for the impact, his dog lunged at the same time, teeth snapping. The beast and Santana collided and went flying into the sand. The two rolled and the dog ended up on top. His jaw locked around Santana's forearm and blood spurted from between its teeth. It dodged Santana's fists with a graceful ease, as the two fought for control. I tensed when Santana produced a knife. He tried swiping the dog's side, but it leapt just out of reach, never letting go of his arm. Santana screamed for help, but Diaz and Vargas seemed at a loss of what to do. I heard a gun cocking and whipped my head up to see Dahl tense. I turned my head slightly, to see that Diaz was fully immersed in watching the fight between his boss and the dog, not paying any attention to me. A strangled howl snapped me back to attention. I let out my own cry of anguish; Santana's knife was sunk into the dog's right shoulder blade. Riddick took a couple of steps forward.

"Now!" Johns cried.

Without having to be told twice, Dahl shot off a round. A blue dart imbedded itself into Riddick's right collar bone. He kept moving forward, towards Santana. Another shot sounded off, this time hitting his stomach. I took a step forward, only to be drug back, by a now tense Diaz.

"Riddick!" John's shouted. "Stop!" When Riddick kept coming, Dahl shot three more times. It was by the fifth shot that it was having some effect. He fell to his knees, but seemed to try and go forward.

Santana was now getting the upper hand on the dog. A strange feeling spread through my chest. In the short time I had seen the dog, I had formed a protective feeling towards it. Santana's knife sliced the front of his muzzle and the dog leapt back with a snarl. I couldn't take it anymore; With a yell of my own, I elbowed Diaz in the stomach as hard as I could. He let go with a sharp intake of breath, and I lunged forward. I knocked Santana to the side, just as he was preparing to make the killing blow. I turned to see if the dog was alright. He was crouched down, with his right leg dangling in the air, but he seemed to be alive. I turned back to look at Santana and I crouched down. I spread my arms wide and gave him a "come at me" gesture. He didn't need to be told twice.

He twisted his knife to get a better grip, before sending me a nauseating grin. I growled at him and tensed. He flew at me, which I quickly dodged and countered with my own punch. I smiled, as my fist connected with his already broken nose. He let out a grunt and staggered. I took that opportunity and lunged on top of him, effectively knocking him to the ground. Blind fury took over me, as I straddled him and rained down punch after punch on his battered face. All my anger came out in a flood gate of emotion. With each hit, I let out a yell; when he was close to passing out, my hands wrapped around his neck and squeezed. His eyes bugged out of his head, as he tried to pry my hands off of his throat. My animal all but roared with the prospect of his death. I grinned down at him.

"Who's the bitch now?"

I could feel his life start to slowly drain from him, as I pressed hard. Somewhere, through my angry haze, I could hear Boss John's bark an order. The next thing I knew, there was a sharp sting on the back of my neck, and then I started to become numb. I let out a growl and my hands flew to my neck. I ripped out the dart and looked up at Dahl, who had the gun faced towards me. I let out a snarl and lunged to a standing position; I was no longer in control of myself. Boss Johns came towards me and I swung; he barely fell back before my fist flew past him.

"Again!" He shouted.

The sharp sting of the dart landed on the left side of my throat. This time, the numbness was too much and I fell. I was beginning to feel so tired. My hand went up to the dart, but it wouldn't cooperate anymore, before it fell to my side again. As darkness began to cloud my vision, I turned to see Riddick, who now had an array of darts cover his chest, turn slowly towards me. He seemed to reach out, just as the back of Boss John's gun connect with his head; effectively knocking him out. My gaze went back to the sky. Santana's bloody face swam into my vision. My mouth twisted in a small smile, as he brought the hilt of his knife down on my head. The sweet angel of darkness gathered me into her arms. The last thing I heard, was a mournful howl, that pierced the desert air.


	9. Something Wicked This Way Comes

Warmth. Comfort. Two things I hadn't experienced in a long time. I was adrift in the darkness of my mind; not really sure if I was dead or alive…not that I really cared at this point. It was nice to stop moving for once…to not be constantly afraid.

" _You have to wake up."_

That voice. How was it possible? I opened my eyes. There was nothing.

" _Wake up."_

I slowly turned around. No…this was impossible.

"Sasha?"

She stood with her hands on her hips giving me a smirk.

"How….no…you're dead. I buried you." I choked.

She slowly shook her head and placed a hand on my shoulder. I glanced down at the contact. Where there should be warmth, there was nothing. I looked back up at her face and she gave me a sad smile.

"Where are we?"

"We are here and we are nowhere." Her voice seemed to echo around us. Something wasn't right. She was never this cryptic.

Sasha's face contorted into a look of sheer panic. She glanced behind her shoulder before turning back to me.

"Sasha? What's wrong?" I asked hesitantly.

" _Run. You must run. Never stop! He will find you."_ She screeched.

"Who? Who will find me?"

Sasha didn't reply. She stood back from me, her hand leaving my shoulder. I looked past her shoulder, but I couldn't see anything. I jerked back from her in horror; her eyes had become pure black, with blood dripping down her cheeks. She seemed to be hoisted in the air by some invisible force; her mouth opened in a silent scream.

"Sasha!"

As I was about to lunge for her, I stopped in my tracks when her eyes locked to mine.

" _ **There is no escape. You will be one of us. You cannot run, for we are many."**_

It was like a mixture of a thousand voices came from Sasha's cracked lips. Fear paralyzed me, as a shiver ran down my spine. I fell backwards, and began to back away from her. She had doubled to a monstrous height and her skin turned an ugly greenish color. She was no longer Sasha, but a twisted alien being, with bark like skin, no hair, sharp teeth and vacant eyes.

"What the fuck are you?" I cried, my fear getting the better of me.

" _ **Your destiny. Join us, or perish!"**_

"Fuck you!"

The thing roared and dived towards me. I rolled out of the way, but it would seem I had run out of space. The next thing I knew, I was falling into nothing…

I jolted awake with a scream caught in my throat. Sweat covered every inch of my skin. My eyes searched the room I was in, but there was no sign of the creature.

_What. The. Hell._

I let my head rest back on the floor. What happened? How did I get back in the bunker? The last thing I remember….was….

"Shit!" I sat up, quickly wishing I hadn't, as I grew dizzy. I clutched my head, and took a couple of deep breaths.

I let out a small yelp, as something cold and wet touched my side. I leapt back, with my hand on my mouth, my heart fluttered. I looked to my right side and was met with a pair of yellow eyes. The dog lifted his head and looked at me. Would he attack me, like he had Santana? We stared at each other for a moment, before he went back to licking his shoulder, effectively ignoring me. It was then I noticed the dried blood matted into his fur. Santana had stabbed the poor thing. I let out a sigh…something needed to be done about Santana…speaking of which, where was everyone?

I tried to stand, but was forced back down, as another wave of dizziness hit me. The dog got up and padded over to me. He let out a low whine and lowered his head onto my lap. I remained still for a few moments, unsure of what to do. I had seen him ferociously attack Santana, but he seemed like a big puppy now. My need for comfort ultimately beat out my caution, as I placed my hand on the big dog's head. I stroked it back and forth; as he let out a happy sigh. Had it been anyone else in this weird situation, I would have laughed. We sat there in a comfortable silence, as my mind wandered back to my strange nightmare. I didn't dream often, so I tend to remember every detail when it happened. What the hell was that horrible creature? What had it done with Sasha? I shook my head. I was being foolish…it was just a dream…Right?

A crawling feeling crept up my spine, as if to rebut my thoughts. Somewhere deep inside, I had a feeling that there was some truth lurking in the shadows of my dreams. But what could it mean?

"You didn't have any bad dreams did you, dog?"

In response, he merely looked up at me, before settling back down into his sleepy state.

"Hmmm, well I supposed I can't just keep calling you 'dog' can I?" I smiled down at him.

He lifted his head and his tongue rolled out as he panted. For a huge scary alien dog, he was rather cute.

"His name is Pard."

My head snapped up at the deep voice. I peered across the room; it was rather difficult to see anything, as the lights had been shut off. I could make out the outline of someone sitting in front of a large pipe, in the middle of the room. A pair of shinning silver eyes looked back at me. My heart involuntarily skipped a beat. How long had Riddick been there?

"It's strange. Never seen him this docile before."

I remained silent. The dog…or Pard had gotten up at the sound of his masters voice. He trotted over to where Riddick was sitting and yipped happily. It was strange to see such a dangerous man as Riddick, be so loving to animal. That's when it struck me. All three of us had that in common…while Riddick and I were human; we both had a strong animal side and instinct. Riddick was a natural born alpha…he was the last one of our kind. That would explain the weird sense of comfort I got, whenever I was around him. I shifted in my seated position as I observed the two.

"Sit." Riddick growled.

Pard cocked his head to the side, as if he was contemplating what to do. He let out a bark and trotted back to my side, and lay down. I look at him in surprise, before my gaze returned to Riddick.

"Traitor." He said under his breath.

I let my hand stroke Pard on the head as I smiled. Then it dawned on me; this was the first conversation I had had with Riddick, where we weren't in danger, and he wasn't man handling me. I chuckled and Riddick raised an eyebrow at me.

"Something funny, princess?"

The nickname made me giggle, and I covered my mouth with my hand to suppress it. My exhaustion was catching up to me in the form of hysteria. Once the giggling had subsided, I took a couple of deep breaths.

"Sorry. It's just that…this is the first time we've actually talked."

Riddick remained silent. He was watching me like a predator, which was making me increasingly uncomfortable. I pushed Pard off to the side and stood up. I walked over to Riddick on shaky legs and came to stand a couple of feet in front of him. I crossed my arms over my chest and regarded him silently. His mouth twisted into that infuriating smirk and my annoyance rose.

"Okay, let's get a few things straight." I cleared my throat.

Riddick cocked his head to the side, but didn't say anything. I quickly continued on, before my courage left.

"Firstly, enough with this whole man handling thing. I am not a thing, I am not a possession, I am a person. One who likes her personal space."

I began to pace back and forth; I could feel Riddick's eyes following me.

"Two, if you try to hurt me, I will hurt you." Okay, so I was trying to put on a tough guy face, but I could tell from the look Riddick gave me, that I was failing horribly.

"And lastly," I paused in front of him, "If you have a plan to get off this god forsaken planet…I want to know about it."

Silence followed my little speech. We were locked in a staring contest; blue eyes against silver. After a while, I was beginning to think I had pissed him off. He surprised me, when his face split into a small grin.

"Kitty got claws; I like that."

I rolled my eyes and released the breath I didn't realize I had been holding. Pard brushed against my leg and my hand rested on his head. I began to tap my foot in the growing silence and sighed.

"Well?" I said expectantly.

Riddick sat back and swung his arms, which were currently wrapped in thick chains. My agitation grew, as he just sat there staring at me. Every time I tried to have a conversation with this man, it was like pulling teeth.

I grunted and sat down on the cool floor, with Pard resting at my side.

"You didn't have the power cells when you walked into the trap." It wasn't a question, but Riddick nodded. My hand ran up and down Pards head, as my mind wandered.

"Why did you do it?" I said, finally meeting Riddick's gaze. "You could have lived on this planet on your own….in peace. You could've been free! But instead you shoved yourself into chaos. What? Do you like the danger? Are you an adrenaline junkie?" My voice rose at the end, betraying my exasperation. I closed my eyes and took a few calming breaths. To be honest, that question had been nagging me for a long time. Had it been me in his shoes, I would have braved the deserted planet, over the company of Santana and Boss John's groups. I couldn't fathom why Riddick would risk so much.

When I was again met with silence, I slowly opened my eyes. Riddick's smirk was gone, and was replaced with such a sad look. My heart clenched at the haunted look his eyes had taken on. Something had happened.

"Riddick?" I asked softly.

"Order and peace are a smoke screen." My eyes widened at his soft, pain laced words. "It's something parents tell their children, to get them to sleep at night. Nothing ever stays the same. Chaos is the only constant." His face hardened into a glare. His gaze pierced mine, but I think he was looking through me as he spoke. "Nothing…nobody ever stays." His words ended on a growl and I shivered. I was struck speechless at his statement. What was I supposed to say to something like that?

My gaze lowered to my lap, as I continued to pet Pard, as my mind wandered. This was the most I had heard Riddick speak. He was more a man of action, so to hear more than two complete sentences at the same time was a shock. My gut twisted as I remembered the look of pure anguish that had gone over his face.

" _Nothing…nobody ever stays."_

I had a feeling that the _something_ was indeed a _someone._

"What happened to you?" I said quietly, my gaze going back to his. When I looked up, Riddick had once again folded back into himself, and his trade mark smirk graced his lips. The intensity of his stare shot all the way down my stomach. I could feel a blush creep up my cheeks, as I shifted in my seat. He must of known the effect his look would have on me, as his smirk grew a little wider.

"How did you get those eyes?" I asked suddenly, trying desperately to change the subject.

Riddick chuckled and leaned forward. "Come closer and I'll tell you."

There was something in the way he said it, that had my heart racing. My mind was shouting at me to stay put, but it would seem my body had other plans. I felt myself get up and gingerly walk towards him; coming to a stop just outside of his reach.

"Closer." His voice dropped.

I knew I shouldn't….but curiosity killed the cat, right? There was a certain pull towards him that I couldn't quite explain. I took a couple hesitant steps forward; when I was about to stop, Riddick's hand snacked out and caught my wrist. He pulled me forward and I became unbalanced. I fell and my hand latched onto the nearest thing I could reach to steady myself…it wasn't my fault that the nearest thing was Riddick's shoulder. Riddick's hand still held my wrist captive, as my other hand rested on his broad shoulder. I could feel his hot breath on my cheek, as my gaze locked with his. He gave me a small smile that sent shivers down my back. My right knee was bent and resting on his lap, and I blushed as I was practically leaning on top of him. He leaned forward, so his lips brushed my ear, I had to suppress a groan.

"Careful princess." he chuckled. "Wouldn't want you to get caught up with the big, bad wolf." My eyes closed, as his lips brushed my neck. There was a very strong desire to kiss him again. It wasn't until his hand released my wrist to trail up my side, that my revere was broken. I leapt back, breathing hard; my cheeks hot with a deep blush. Damn the man for having such an effect on me. Riddick sat back and cocked his head to the side, as his smirk grew wider. He looked like a kid, ready to devour a chocolate bar. I gulped again, and stepped back, trying to will my heart to slow down. Pard took that moment to let out a shrill bark. He began jumping and darting around the room.

"Pard! Calm down. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"He can feel it."

I turned to look back at Riddick. He was gazing up at the ceiling. I followed his gaze. There wasn't anything interesting. I was only met with silence. I turned to look back at him, giving him a "you're crazy" look. His eyes finally met mine, and he let out a gruff laugh.

"Storms coming."

I opened my mouth to ask him what exactly was coming with said storm, when the door to the bunker flew open. Pard tensed and let out a low growl as Santana stormed in. He came to stand in front of Riddick, ignoring me. The next words that came from Santana's mouth chilled me to the bone.

"I've come to collect." He spat. In the booming silence, Santana dropped his clear box at Riddick's feet, and took out his gleaming curved sword.


	10. Revenge is a dish, best served sharp

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are you guys enjoying it? I had so much fun writing it! :D

"I've come to collect."

These four simple words sent a terrifying shiver down my back. Santana was finally going to make good on all his threats. My gaze travelled back and forth between Riddick and Santana. Both looked tense, although Riddick looked like he was enjoying himself a little too much. He sat back, with his arms still slightly suspended by the chains, and regarded Santana with a small smirk. This seemed to goad Santana, as he began running his hand down the back of his blade.

"Not yet, you're not."

I whipped my head around to see Boss Johns and the rest of the mercs coming through the front door. I have never been so happy to see mercs before, and I probably never would again, but for now…they were a welcome sight. Boss Johns came up to Santana's right and gave him a hard stare. Dahl and Diaz stood off to the right, both ready to spring into action, should either of their bosses get attacked.

"We had a deal. I get him first." Boss Johns voice was low, but held an underlying threat.

Santana stood up and little straighter, and his grip momentarily tightened on the blade. He took a single step forward and brought one finger close to John's face.

"Ten minutes." With that, he turned on his heel and made his way to the back of the room. When he passed me, his eyes lit up and he took a step in my direction; only to be stopped short by a menacing growl. I smiled and placed my hand a top Pard's head.

"Careful, Santana. We already know how well you can fight a dog." My small smile twisted into an evil grin, when he gulped. He clenched his teeth and kept walking. I stroked Pard's fur to calm him down. He looked up at me with an adoring look and licked my hand. When I felt eyes on me, my eyes lifted to meet Riddicks; he nodded slightly, as if he was proud. I raised an eyebrow at him, but let my gaze wander back to Boss Johns, who had come to kneel down in front of Riddick.

"I want some answers." He started; his hands resting on his bent knees, clenched and unclenched into fists.

Riddick's silver eyes were a light with mild amusement. He cocked his head to the side, as if confused.

"What about?" He asked with fake sincerity.

"You know what about." Boss Johns nearly growled. "I need to know what happened ten years ago."

My brow scrunched in confusion. Had Riddick really been on the run that long? When I looked back towards the man in chains, his face took on the look of….regret? The look was gone fast and was soon replaced with a hard stare. It was a couple of minutes before either of them spoke. I jumped a little, when Riddick's deep voice seemed to boom through the room.

"Transport ship. There was a crash. Lotta people killed. The few who survived escaped to another planet."

"What about John." Boss Johns took a deep breath. "What about my boy?"

Riddick let out a low chuckle. "John's little boy seemed to have a problem; couldn't be the hero, without a little kick from morphine."

"What?" Boss Johns seemed shocked. His face twisted into a look of agony. I almost took a step forward, my heart breaking for him, when I was stopped by Riddick's next words.

"Stop holding him up on a pedestal and face reality. Your son was no saint. Tried to use a kid as bait. He was a drug riddled merc first, and a human second."

"No. No…my son was a good kid."

Riddick shook his head, in pity. "Think what you want; but the truth remains the same."

The silence that followed was deafening. Nobody dared to speak or move, as Boss Johns processed what Riddick had told him. It was hard for a parent to come to terms that their child was deemed a monster.

"Enough of this pity party."

Santana stalked forward and pushed a stricken Boss Johns out of the way. When he thumped the glass box onto the floor, I sprung forward. Just when I was about to reach him, I was brought up short, when the cool blade was pressed to my neck.

"Do not think for one moment, that I wouldn't cut off your head, whore." He spat at me.

There were a series of low growls behind me, but I didn't dare move my head, for fear that the sharp blade would cut my skin. My chest rose and fell, as I remained motionless; Santana's eyes were locked with mine. Hatred and anger bubbled inside me. This man had caused me pain for months on end; kidnapping me, torturing me…killing the closest thing I had to family and now he threatened my life.

The staring contest was broken, when Pard let out a sharp whine of pain; something in me snapped and with the blade forgotten, I jumped back, to see one of the mercs standing over Pard, as he lay panting in pain.

"Reana!"

The shock made the world slow down, into slow motion. It was the first time I had ever heard Riddick say my name. My head turned in time to see Santana's shiny blade arc over me, poised for a deadly strike. With everything slowed down, I had time to think. As if it were nothing, my arm came up to block the strike. I hit with enough force to send Santana backwards a couple of steps. His look of shock, quickly twisted into one of pure fury. He swung again, this time aiming for my middle. I bent slightly and took a step back. I quickly ducked his next few strikes; it would seem his anger was making him sluggish. When he failed to even nick me, he growled out in frustration. A jingling caught my attention. Riddick was banging his chains in frustration. I turned back when Santana yelled. The blade cut across my left cheek and sent me reeling. I stumbled, as the world suddenly became normal speed. Santana snarled and lunged again, this time with more aggression. I had, thankfully, recovered and took a defensive stance. I had nothing to fight with, except my bare hands. I bared my teeth in a growl and tensed; it was fight or die.

Santana let out a sharp laugh. "Stupid girl. You think you can beat me? You've become more trouble than your bounty is worth. I guess they will have to happy with your head!"

With that, I let out a howl of anger and attacked. I had caught him off guard and I used that to my advantage. My fist came up and collided with the right side of his already bruised cheek. He fell back, losing his grip on the sword as he went. Without hesitation, I jumped and took hold of the heavy blade. I hefted it in my hand, testing the balance. Santana bellowed and went for the gun strapped to his leg. He raised the gun and cocked it. By this time, my animal had taken over. Blind with rage, I could feel my arm swing through the air. For a moment, I thought I had missed. There was a couple seconds of silence, and then a blood curdling scream filled the air. I looked to see where Santana was standing. He was holding his arm, a look of agony on his face. My gaze swiftly went down his arm, to the bloody stump where his hand should have been. He let out a series of wails, and was pleading with our silent audience. It was only then, that I was aware of the many eyes on me. They ranged from shocked, to downright sick, but I didn't care. My gaze fell on the pathetic merc; I took a couple of steps forward.

"You bitch! I'll kill you."

My lip curled up into a sneer, as I tightened my grip on the now bloody blade.

"I really should thank you." I said, as my gaze burned into him. "You woke up the true me. You've shown me what I have always known. It's sad to see a once great man turned into a sniveling, blood thirsty merc. I can only think of one way to repay you." I spat the last word. Santana's eyes bulged with the realization of his imminent death. He sucked in a deep breath to rebut, but I didn't give him the chance. I put all my anger…all my sorrow…and all my fury into my swing. I was rewarded with the feeling of the blade slicing through flesh. When I had fully twisted around, I turned to look at Santana; my tormentor. He was deathly still, a look of shock stuck on his face. Slowly…ever so slowly, he slumped forward, his head falling from his body, in a mass of blood. There was a thud, and his head landing in his glass box; shutting his head in forever. Oh the irony….

With the stillness in the room, I knew something had changed….I had changed. Gone was the fear riddled child….ultimately replaced by a fierce woman, hell bent on survival. My heavy breathing was the only thing heard in the silence. I stood up straight, and swiped a hand across my now bloodied face.

It was over. It was finally over. My shoulders relaxed slightly, as a huge wave of relief washed through me. I was free and I would kill anyone who would try and change that.

Time to face the music…..

I turned to look back at the shocked faces of the mercs. Apparently I wasn't the only one who witnessed my change. No one said anything, but there was a low chuckle that filled the room. I looked over to see Riddick's shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. For some strange reason, I wanted to join him. My heart skipped a beat when his gaze locked onto mine.

"Atta girl…"

He said it so low, that only he and I were able to hear it. My chest swelled with pride at his comment, and I stood a little straighter.

"What you see before you, is a free woman. Anyone want to change that?" I asked boldly. When no one spoke, I nodded and began to wipe the blood off the blade. There seemed to be a collective sigh…as if Santana was a great burden suddenly lifted.

"Now that that has been taken care of…" Dahl began. She looked as relieved as I felt. Santana had been a pain for both of us.

Boss Johns stood with arms crossed over his chest, settling Riddick with a glare; he looked unfazed by what had just happened.

"What do we do about him?" Dahl nodded to were Riddick was still chained up. Now that Santana was gone, Riddick and I were pretty free game.

"We can't let him go." Diaz said gruffly. For such a big guy, he seemed to scare easily.

I sat crossed legged, with Pard by my side, as I continued to clean my new weapon. I stared down at the blade, not wanting to meet Riddick's searing gaze. It was a little unnerving…and a little exciting to feel it.

"Why not." Riddick said mockingly. "My offer still stands. Two power cells. Two ships. You leave on one, and me and the girl take the other."

My head shot up in surprise. That was new. Riddick's gaze was currently settle on Boss Johns, who had yet to say anything.

"Or we could leave you here. Make a nice , little, cozy place." Dahl sneered.

"No one wants to be here for very much longer."

"Why the hell not?" Diaz countered.

Riddick glanced at him, with a small smirk. "The rain."

"The rain? Is the little princess afraid to get his 'hair' wet." Vargas barked out in a laugh.

I rolled my eyes. "It's not the rain dumbass. It's what comes with it."

That seemed to get everyone's attention. Everyone seemed to tense, and look around the room.

"They could just be saying that to trick us." Diaz cleared his throat.

"Who you trying to convince, Diaz? Us or yourself?" I grinned at him.

The room grew silent again, as the mercs tried to figure out what to do. They knew that letting Riddick go was dangerous, but the consequences of not doing so….well….

"Fuck this. I say we kill them both and collect." Vargas nearly shouted.

"I dare you to try." I glared up at him. He seemed taken aback by my low growl. I smiled; I liked this.

There was a loud crash of thunder, quickly followed by the pitter patter of the rain on the tin roof. No one dared move a muscle, as we listened for anything out of the ordinary. I was beginning to doubt Riddick's warning when nothing came. The rain was normally soothing, but this time it brought me nothing but anxiety.

Diaz let out a small laugh. "See. It was all a blu-"

There was a loud crash and the roof dented in. The mercs each raised their guns, afraid of something popping in. I jumped, and tightened my grip on the blade. Pard let out a low growl, and his ears flattened against his head.

Everyone tensed when the sound of metal on metal banged. Riddick banged his chains on the pipes again, emitting a gravely laugh. It sent of shiver of dread through me, as his silver eyes locked with mine.

"Now the fun begins."


	11. Best laid plans

There was another loud bang, and everyone jumped. The mercs all glanced around nervously, raising their guns at eye level. I felt Pard tense at my side and I reached down to pat his head, with my gaze glued to the roof.

"Scared of the dark?"

I looked back at Riddick. He was still chained up with his arms laying at this sides. His gaze was intense, but held a sheen of amusement. A shiver went up my spine. What could he possibly find amusing, in a time like this?

The rain was getting louder now; it sounded like stones were bouncing off of the roof. There was a loud shriek, from somewhere out in the darkness. Dahl and Diaz crept over to the opened window and peered outside.

"Dahl? See anything?" Boss Johns' grip tightened on his gun, as he kept glancing from the window to Riddick.

"Negative. Can't see shit through this storm." Dahl said, with her eyes lock on the window.

"Okay, here's what we are going to do. We go out as a group; scower the immediate area and terminate all hostiles. No one tries to be a hero. Every man for him, or," he glanced at me, "herself. Move."

The mercs moved towards the door, and Vargas wrenched it open. I stayed glued to my spot. Fear crept up my spine and what could possibly be beyond the darkness.

"He said move." I felt a sharp poke to my left shoulder. I turned to look at one of Santana's nameless mercs. (I'm sure he had a name, but I couldn't be bothered by it).

"No. We shall stay here...you know...hold down the fort."

Luna spoke for the first time in forever. I was surprised that he was coming to my defence, after all the terrible things I had done to him. I gave him a small smile, which he surprised me with a nod. The merc merely shrugged and followed the small group out of the door.

"Luna, I.."

"No. I've already forgiven you. It's what God would have wanted."

I held back my eye roll, and instead nodded. To each's own, I guess.

"Shit! What was that!"

We both spun to see the small group of mercs rushing back in. Dahl looked like she might pass out, as she quickly slammed and locked the door. I jumped; there were a series of hisses and snarls that came from beyond the door.

"Like I said...it ain't me you got to worry about." Riddick's deep voice came from the centre of the room. His silver gaze held mine for a moment, before settling on the roof again. He looked like a sleek predator, waiting for the enemy to make the first strike.

"What is it? What's out there?" Luna's voice almost cracked. It was the only sign of fear he permitted to show. For such a holy man, he was certainly more stable than the majority of the macho jerks in the room. I was beginning to grow a new respect for him.

"I don't know." The dark skinned merc, Moss, gulped, trying to catch his breath. He was drenched from head to toe, because of the onslaught of the rain.

"There's a fuck ton of something out there." Diaz said. Boss John's jaw clenched as he thought of our next move.

"It ain't right." Moss muttered. "It's coming our way."

Loud gun shots rained through the small bunker. I whipped around in time to see Lockspur shooting at the one of the windows. He let loose the bullets for a matter of seconds before slumping into a wall. He slicked his wet hair back and reloaded his gun.

"Whatever they are, they ain't so hard to kill."

I let out a terrifying scream. No sooner had the words left his mouth, then a razor like tail ripped through the metal wall and pierced him through his heart. He gasped and gagged as blood poured from the wound. He was violently swung towards the iron bared window and came face to face with a monster I had never seen before. The creature let out a terrible hiss, and slammed him against the bars, trying to rip his face off. It let out a cry of frustration, as it flung him repeatedly and violently against them. Luna turned his head, trying to save himself from the horrific death. I couldn't seem to look away. There was a part of me that screamed _run_ , but another, darker part, held a sliver of respect for the great predator. Moss, Diaz and Dahl all lined up and prepared their guns. By now, the iron clad window was splattered with Lockspur's blood. I quickly knelt down next to Pard and hugged him tight. Without another moment of hesitation, the line of mercs let loose a tirade of bullets. Lockspur's broken body slumped to the ground, his smashed in face almost unrecognizable. Moss' machine gun clicked with the empty sound and he quickly pulled out a hand gun and moved closer to the wall. As he went to reload, glass shattered from above him. This caused the mercs to falter and look up. I let my gaze sweep up briefly, before another giant, lizard like creature swooped down, impaled Moss and jerked him up through the ceiling and into darkness. The mercs were silent for a moment, before the walls started shaking with the force of more bodies banging against it. Pard let out a low growl and I petted his fur, trying to calm him down.

"Shh. It's okay." I whispered, not entirely sure if I was trying to calm him down, or myself. I tightened my grip on the hilt of the bloody sword, ready to pounce at a moments notice.

"What the fuck!" Dahl shouted and she reloaded her gun. Boss John's made his way over to were Moss once stood and raised his gun to look up at the now gaping hole in the ceiling. What glass was left, was coated with blood, and the rain seeped through. There was a deafening shriek from beyond and that made the mercs jump into action. They began speeding around the room, locking doors and windows, trying to make the bunker safer. In my opinion, it was pointless, but what else were we going to do at this point?

Diaz and Boss Johns pushed one of the big metal lockers over the broken window, and then stood silent. All that could be heard through the bunker was the pitter patter of the rain, heavy breathing and the shrieks of the monsters outside.

"Fuck." Boss Johns' whispered in exasperation. He lurched off the locker and joined the rest of our group in the centre of the room. I slowly rose to my feet, securing the blade in my right hand, and waited. No one made a move, as the creatures continued to shriek and snarl. Diaz raised his gun, but was stopped by Boss Johns' hand on his arm.

"No more holes...please."

There was a loud bang, as the roof collapsed in, as one of the creatures pounced. No one moved an inch, as we waited to see if it would break through. There was a series of smaller bangs. They continued on for a moment, and then I realized it was coming from inside. I slowly turned around to look at Riddick. His head hung low, as he banged his chained arms on the pipes. He chuckled darkly and I could feel my knees go weak. He was powerful and dangerous...he set my heart fluttering. His chuckles turned into a full out laugh, as the mercs regarded him as if he had lost his mind. Blood dripped down his face from the wound on his forehead, as he rocked back and forth from his laughter. I bit my lower lip, and just looked at him This was one of the first real emotions I had actually seen from him...and it kind of scared me. He looked like a sexy, deranged, lunatic.

"Now here's what's going to happen." His deep voice held a commanding tone. "In sixty seconds you're going to take these chains off of me. We are going to make a play for those nodes and get off of this rock. Then, somewhere along the line," he paused," when it gets really bad...John's...is going to fold, just like Little John's did." He looked up and locked gazes with the head merc. Boss Johns' lips twisted and his jaw clenched. "Then when it's all over," Riddick continued, "and the rest of you are ready for dead animal pick up, I'm going to go balls deep into Dahl."

My eyes widened. There was a very sharp and very surprising twist of jealousy in my stomach, as my gaze shifted to a surprised Dahl.

"But only cuz you asked me to." His eyes looked her up and down. "Sweet like."

Dahl sneered as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Not a chance in hell, _sweet cheeks._ "

Riddick chuckled darkly, before I felt his eyes on me. His gaze seemed to burn over my skin, and I couldn't help but meet his silvery gaze.

"What about you, firecracker? What say you we leave this group of filthy mercs behind, find us a quiet spot, and come together as us Furyians were meant too."

My breath caught at the intensity of his gaze. My heart was beating a mile a minute. No one...and I mean _no one,_ had every spoken to me like that...and I liked it.

"Hmmm. I don't know big boy...I'm all the way over here, and your locked up...all the way over there." I let my voice drop, to which I hoped was some what sexy. His face cracked into his sexy grin, his silver eyes seemed to light up. I was silently pleased with myself.

"You won't win this game, Vixen." He said under his breath. A clearing of a throat broke our little banter. My face went bright red as I remembered who were where surrounded by.

"What does he mean 'when things go bad'? What this doesn't qualify as bad?" Vargas shouted.

"What the fuck is happening?" Dahl came to stand beside Vargas as the two looked down at him. "How fucked are we?"

Riddick broke his gaze away from mine, and lowered it in thought. "Who knows how long it will rain? Just how many of them are buried out there?"

Vargas puffed up in anger. "He saw it. He saw it with those eyes and didn't tell us."

A loud crack and crunch caused us all to jump. The dented roof was pushed down a little farther, as the creatures grew impatient for their meal. Luna and Diaz raised their guns, preparing for anything, as Boss Johns came to sit in front of Riddick.

Without looking at him, Riddick said, "One ship for you... and one ship for us."

"I need to know that these nodes are retrievable." Boss Johns almost pleaded. His forehead had broken out in sweat, from either exertion or fear.

"And I need to know we have a deal." Riddick growled, locking gazes with the merc.

Boss Johns was silent for a few moments. I bit my lip, hoping the man would come to his senses. After what felt like an eternity, he swiftly nodded.

"We got a deal."

Boss Johns bent over and began removing Riddick's shackles. The metal clanging loudly as they slumped to the ground.

"You're seriously letting him go? He probably fucked with the nodes!" Diaz protested.

"I like to be a man of my word." Riddick looked down at Johns. " How 'bout you...Johns?"

Boss John said nothing, but continued to free Riddick. Once all the chains were off, Riddick was suddenly on his feet, looming over Boss Johns. You had to give the man credit for not so much as flinching. Riddick turned his neck from side to side, making a cracking sound. Boss Johns moved back to stand with the rest of the mercs. Pard let out a happy yip, seeing his master set free. I couldn't help but grin a little. Riddick look over at me and smiled. Now was the time for action...


	12. Terrors in the night

The rain hadn't let up any. It blanketed the sandy earth like a love lorn companion, beckoning the horrible, twisted creatures that wished to leash death upon us. I could feel my panic start to rise, as I realized we would have to go outside to even reach the two ships. Then there was the little problem of the power nodes...

"So what's the plan?" Vargas voiced the silent question the group had been waiting to ask.

All eyes turned to the now free Riddick. He casually walked over to one of the metal tables along the walls and grabbed his gear and goggles. He slipped them over his head, hiding his silver eyes beneath the darkness of the glass. Even though they were covered, I could still feel his intense gaze.

"We move as one. Cover each others backs and make our way to the ships. Dahl, how far away from then entrance are they?" Boss Johns re-adjusted his scope as he spoke.

"Fifty feet or so. Easy enough." Dahl answered.

"Ya...easy if there weren't an army of monsters between them and us." Vargas scoffed under his breath.

I had been silently watching the group as they struggled to form a semi concrete plan for our escape; my hand coming to rest on Pard's head. Pard sat at my feet like a guardian, calming my already shot nerves. I would never admit to how scared I was. It's true that I had been running my entire life, and I was used to danger...but this seemed like a whole new ball field. I was on my own...Sasha wasn't here to hold my hand or watch my back. I needed to grow a back bone and quick. My gaze fell on my only (some what) ally. Riddick had strapped his armour into place and was loading a rather large gun. I knew he would watch out for me, but I couldn't help but have a small sliver of doubt, that he would leave me if I became to much of a burden.

As if sensing my inner turmoil, Pard pressed himself closer to my side and let out a low whine. I smiled down at him and patted his head again...no...I wasn't alone.

"I need a gun." I said suddenly. I fell under scrutiny, as all eyes turned towards me. When no one said anything, I repeated, "I need a gun."

Boss Johns regarded me for a moment. "No."

"No?" I exclaimed, "What do you mean 'no'?"

"You're not trained enough for one. You're more likely to hurt yourself, then defend."

"That's not true and you know it!" I said angrily. Sure I may be young, but I had survived the harshness of this and other worlds just fine. "Haven't I proved myself to you people yet?" My grip had tightened on the hilt of the sword as I spoke; my agitation at being brushed off rising.

Boss Johns looked at me with a critical eye, his mouth set in a stubborn line. Before he got the chance to protest again, Dahl interrupted.

"Having another eye to watch our backs could prove useful. If you're so worried, then just give her a small one."

I blinked in surprise. Dahl stepped forward and produced a small pistol and handed it to me. I gave her a small smile, and she nodded in return. I looked down at the small weapon in my hand. It wasn't anything special, but I bet it could pack a hell of punch.

"If you girls are all done bonding, can we please get the fuck out of here?" Vargas said anxiously.

Riddick went to the door and pushed it open, the group quickly following. He paused for a moment, scanning the area. The rain had lessened, and there didn't seem to be any monsters in the immediate area. Pard stayed close to me, as I moved closer to Riddick subconsciously. I was close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from his back. There was moment where I wanted to press my face against his back and basque in his heat. I quickly shook my head, as my face heated up. I quickly looked out into the night to distract myself.

Pard let out a low growl as he crept forward. Riddick silently glided out a couple of steps, before motioning us to move forward.

"Where the fuck did they go?" Diaz practically growled.

Riddick let out a low chuckle that sent shivers down my spine. "Don't you know? Predators like to play."

I gulped as I frantically looked around, trying to be alert for any sudden movement. My grip on the gun tightening. I nearly yelped when I felt a presence to my left. Luna held up his hand apologetically.

"See anything?" I whispered to him, fearing that the creatures may hear me, over the light rain.

"No. Have faith...we will get through this."

I held back my eye roll. Oh to have the faith of a holy man...

We had made it about ten feet from the door to one of the ships.

"Hang on. I'll get it open." Diaz said as he made his way over to the side panel. After a couple of tense moments, there was a _whoosh_ , and the door opened. There was a light that illuminated the ramp, and I let out a relieved sigh. I smiled at Luna, to which he returned with a smile of his own. I could feel someone glaring daggers into my head. I turned slightly to see Riddick's goggled eyes bearing down on Luna. Luna paled and shuffled away from me. I gritted my teeth, and sent Riddick a glare back. His infuriating half smirk returned before he turned away to look into the ship.

"Huh...wasn't so hard." Vargas began.

No sooner had the words left his mouth, then a great shriek cut through the air. A small, pointed tail, shot up from the puddle next to Vargas' right leg. It latched its self on him and pierced his flesh. He screamed and shot it off. The small creature writhed in pain for a few short moments, before dying. Vargas hoped on one foot before falling onto his back. I rushed forward, but Riddick stopped me with a firm, but surprisingly gentle grip. I looked up at him, but his gaze was focused on the fallen merc. Vargas began breathing heavily and his limbs becoming more wooden like.

"What the fuck is wrong with him?" Diaz was leaning over his friend, with his brow furrowed.

"Poison." Riddick answered in a dead pan tone. "Takes over the body in mere seconds." He then moved toward the ship and went up the ramp, totally unmoved by the mercs death.

My eyes grew wide as I watched the life leave Vargas' body. I was momentarily shocked...not by his death, but by the fact of how numb I had become to watching death. The poison in the creatures was swift, but painful. I swallowed and took a cautionary step away from the puddles that surrounded us. Riddick came back down from the ship and came to stand in from of Boss Johns.

"Now what?" Boss Johns questioned quietly.

"No nodes." Riddick said simply.

"What the fuck? How the hell are we supposed to get these running without nodes?" Dahl almost screamed in Riddick's face. He raised an eyebrow.

"Simple. We don't."

Dahl looked like she was about ready to murder him, as frustration marred her features.

"Where are they?" Boss John's remained calm. The man must have nerves of steel.

Riddick let his gaze go out towards the now wet dunes of the desert.

"You mean the nodes are out there...with all of them?" I said, as my gaze followed Riddicks. My fear was slowly rising as I could faintly hear the cries of the monsters out in the distance.

"Okay. Here's what's going to happen." Boss Johns turned towards the remainder of our group. "We split up. Dahl, you and I will stay here with Luna and Reana, while Riddick and Diaz take the two remaining power bikes and get the nodes."

I was shaking out of my stupor, my stomach twisting with the thought of Riddick leaving. I spun around and faced Boss Johns. "Let me go with them." I said quickly.

"No. We need you hear." Boss Johns argued.

"I can help! I'm small so I can get to the nodes faster."

"You're right...you're small, so you would make the easiest target." Boss Johns said firmly.

I was about to argue again, when I felt a strong hand on my shoulder. Riddick pulled my back firmly against his front, as he leaned down to take a breath in my hair. I nearly shivered, but gritted my teeth to stop the action.

"Don't be a hero. Hero's never last." His deep voice vibrated through my back.

"I-I've got a bad feeling. It's to dangerous." I said in a low voice.

Riddick chuckled and spun me around to face him. He grabbed my chin firmly, and crashed his lips to mine. The kiss was quick, but held all the dominance he had as an alpha and it sent my heart fluttering. "Don't ya know...I live for danger." He smirked at my dazed expression and quickly let go. He sauntered over to the second power bike and started it up. Diaz did the same with his. He lifted his eyes to meet mine...his gaze darkened for a second, and he flew off into the darkness. With one more look towards me, Riddick sped off after him. I took a couple deep breaths to steady my nerves. Riddick had the ability to annoy and arouse me, all at the same time. Cursing myself for being so easily distracted, I walked back over to the ship and stood next to Luna in the light. He looked down at his feet uncomfortably...no doubt having seen our little exchange.

"Come on. We need to get these up and ready for when they come back." Dahl shook her head and heading into the ship. Luna quickly followed, and I was about too, when my stomach dropped. I let out a loud whistle and Pard came racing over. I breathed a sigh of relief as he went up the ramp. I turned back to look out into the darkness...I knew Riddick could handle himself...but the look in Diaz's eyes had a feeling of unease settle into my stomach...something was wrong...


	13. A Race Against Time

If Sasha had instilled anything in the time we had together, it was those few words. I had been pacing back and forth...back and forth. Frankly, I was surprised that I hadn't burned a hole into the ground yet.

"Will you stop? Starting to give me a fucking head ache." Dahl mumbled.

"She's right Rena...there is no point in getting more anxious. It will do no good." Luna tried to comfort.

I simply levelled them with a glare and continued my pacing. There was little I could do...other than wait...but the look Diaz gave me.

"Are you sure there is nothing we can do?" I tried to keep my voice as steady as I could, as I turned to face Boss John's. He had been perched on one of the ramps, adjusting his guns. He glanced up at me, but didn't stop his tinkering. Pard let out a low whine, and I patted his head in reassurance.

"What do you suggest?" He asked in a calm voice. It was really starting to agitate me, of how he could remain so calm.

"Well...there must be another bike around here. Maybe I can go after..."

"And what would you do then? You'd just get in their way." Dahl quipped. I could tell that her patience was starting to wear thin.

I clamped my mouth shut. As much as my tactics had improved, and how much stronger I had become...the truth of the matter was, is that I wouldn't be able to do anything if I got caught out there. I didn't even know which direction they had gone. With that thought, I slumped down to the floor in defeat. Pard came over and laid his head on my lap. I bit my inner lip drawing blood, trying to stop the flow of frustrating tears that threatened to roll down my cheeks.

"We can't just fucking do nothing." I said in a low voice. "What happens if they don't come back?"

Boss Johns let out a deep sigh. He got up from where he had been seated and came over to me.

"Listen...I know in some fucked up kind of way, you feel you owe him. Now, I am not saying that that is not true, but going out there and getting ourselves killed would serve no purpose."

"So what...you'd rather just wait here to die...having done nothing?" I spat, looking up at him.

He just shook his head, and got up from his crouched position, making his way to the far side. Luna just looked on from where he was praying with a sad frown...Dahl rolled her eyes.

"What if Diaz kills him?" I pleaded.

"Good fucking riddance." Dahl said casually. My anger came back in full force, and I had begun to see red.

Pard licked and nuzzled my hand. The rational part of me agreed with Boss Johns...

The Furyan part of me...wanted blood.

This time I didn't hesitate...I knew which one to listen too.

With a final pat to Pard's head, and I firm look that said " _stay"_ I scrambled up from my position, and tore out of the ship, with nothing more than the gun in my pocket, and sword on my hip.

The rain had begun to fall heavily again, but that didn't stop me. There had to be another bike around here. I needed to find it and fast. I turned to go in between the two ships, as I could hear Dahl cry that I wasn't there anymore...took them long enough.

I began tearing tarps off of everything that had been covered. It had to be somewhere...

A large hand clamped down on my wrist and spun me around. Boss John's looked down at me angrily.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing? Why are you trying to get yourself killed for this maniac!?"

I snapped, "Probably the same reason you are trying to kill him for your son. He is all that I have left. I have been alone my entire life, thinking that I belonged to a dead race...I am not going to give up on him...no matter how much of a maniac he is. Let me go!"

Boss Johns remained silent. I managed to wrench my arm from his grasp and continued my search for the bike. I let out a sigh of relief as I heard his foot steps as he left. But the next thing I heard shocked me; the roar of an engine. I spun around to see Boss John's had found the other bike. I squared my shoulders and prepared for the fight that I knew was coming.

To my surprise, Boss Johns turned off the engine and leaned against it. He sighed.

"You remind me so much of my son. So stubborn...so full of passion. Once he had set his mind to something...not even a damn nuclear bomb could stop him" His voice was so sad, that guilt began to twist in my stomach, over my earlier out burst.

"Look I'm..." I started. Boss Johns simply held up his hand, and I fell silent.

"I knew I should have helped him, all those years ago...but I refused. I thought his ideals were just that of a child...and now my child lays dead."

I remained silent, as he strode over to me. Dahl and Luna had come out of the ship behind him, but they didn't say anything.

"I'm not going to make the same mistake twice. You're not alone anymore Rena..."

My eyes widened in shock. "You mean..."

Boss Johns gave me a sad smile. "If you're really hell bent on doing this...you're not going alone. I'll go with you."

"What? Are you crazy?" Dahl shouted.

"What she says could be true. I trust Diaz about as far as I can through him...We better be off...they couldn't have gotten too far ahead."

At that moment, I could have kissed the old soldier. I breathed a sigh of relief, as my anxiety leveled out. Dahl and Luna got the bike into position, as Boss Johns and I clamoured aboard.

I looked over my shoulder at Luna. "Keep Pard safe. I'll be back soon."

Luna gave me another one of his sad smiles. "God go with you."

"If Riddick comes back without us, you go ahead, you kill him on principal." Johns said to Dahl, as she strapped a gun to the handle bar. I wrapped my arms around his middle and bit my lip. He may be helping me, but that doesn't mean he was going to suddenly trust Riddick.

"Is that before or after I am supposed to fuck him?" Dahl asked in dead pan tone.

I rolled my eyes and hung onto Boss Johns as he revved the engine, and we shot off into the night.

The rain began to beat down on us, like shards of glass. The light on the front of the bike the only thing guiding our way.

"How far ahead do you think they are?" I shouted into Boss John's ear.

"Hard to say. Minutes...miles? Just keep and eye out for any lights."

I tucked my head in between his shoulder blades to try and shield myself from the icy water. We continued on for what seemed like hours, before Boss John's broke the silence. "There!"

My head snapped up, and I was just able to make out two thin lines of light, as they weaved about the soaked sand floor. Boss John's revved the bikes engine to max, and we sped off, catching up to the two. In a matter of minutes, we roared up next to Diaz. He shot us a look, to which Boss Johns simply shrugged. My attention was focused on Riddicks back...he was a few feet ahead of us. I noticed his goggles sat atop his head. He was using his own eyes and their sheen, to see able to see through the darkness. We came over some large dunes, and went over the side...that's when I heard it. The growls in the night.

"Riddick!" I screamed, hoping like hell he could hear me.

Just at the bottom of the dune, were two of the largest monsters I had ever seen. Riddick didn't seem fazed by them in the least, as he twisted his body, causing the bike to twirl in the air, cascading a rain of fire upon the creatures...instantly searing them.

"Show off." Boss Johns said softly. I could help but let out a relieved laugh.

Riddick landed, and sped forward, Diaz, Boss Johns and myself following.

Lightening illuminated the sky, as the storm ragged on. All I could do was try to keep my heart from leaping out of my chest, and my focus on Riddick. While Diazs' and Boss Johns bikes had lights going full blast, Riddick's was shrouded in darkness.

"Crazy bastard!" Diaz shouted.

We continued on at a alarming pace. How far out did he place the nodes?

We were approaching a cliff and fast...

"Riddick." I shouted, trying to warn him. He either didn't hear me, or didn't care.

"Riddick!" I yelled louder. In response, he revved his engine louder and shot off the cliff.

I screamed as he fell into the darkened valley below. Boss Johns and Diaz sped closer to the edge to get a look. Much to my relief Riddick had landed safely...but my relief was short lived, by the creatures that Riddicks light had shown off. There must have been thousands. My attention was jerked back, as something hit our bike...I was only given a second to whip my head in Diazs' direction, as he rammed his bike against ours, sending us toppling off the edge. The edge of the bike caught on a sharp boulder, as we descended. It flipped us off, and I lost my grip on Boss Johns. My hip was the first thing to hit solid ground, and then I was in a free toss, down the rest of the cliff. I landed with a sickening thud, all the air rushing from my body...my head snapping on the damp earth.

I lay there in a pain riddled daze.

_'Follow your gut...because it's normally right.'_

I clenched my teeth to keep myself from crying out. Everything hurt.

"Rea—na?"

I could hear Boss Johns as he struggled to get up.

"Here." I managed to gasp, once I was able to draw in a bit of air. Boss Johns sat up and stretched out his back. It make a loud cracking noise, before he climbed to his feet. He had taken one step towards me, when there was a low hiss that filtered the air. My eyes widening in recognition.

_'There must have been thousands.'_

I opened my mouth to caution Boss Johns as he took another slow step towards me. The hiss came again, closer this time, and he whipped out his gun, shooting off in every direction.

I managed to climbed to my feet, and grab my gun which was (thankfully) still in my pocket. I clicked the safety off and held it in front of me. My hands shook from the adrenaline coursing through my body. I backed up towards where Boss Johns was, my eyes flitting back and forth into the darkness.

Boss Johns managed to crouch down, to get the bigger gun Dahl had strapped to his bike. I swallowed, as I couldn't see anything around us.

A whistle sang through the air, and both Boss Johns and I spun to face the source of it.

Much to my disbelief, Riddick sat casually on his bike, regarding us in the dark.

"You ass-hole, motherfucker!" Boss Johns screamed. I looked at him in surprise...that was the first outburst I had ever heard from him. I lowered my gun, as I followed him to were Riddick sat.

"Just sitting there watching..."

"Would have covered you." Riddick raised his voice to be heard over the pounding rain.

"Sure took your sweet time." I quipped.

Riddicks gaze swept over me. "Maybe I was enjoying the show. You lying there on your back...breathless."

My eyes widened and my cheeks heated up. I was silently hoping he couldn't see me blush in the dark.

At that moment Diaz pulled up along side us, on his bike. My anger swelled.

"What the fuck was that!?" I stalked over to him.

"Slipped." was his gruff reply.

"How bad you want those nodes John?" Riddick patted the back of his bike. Boss Johns seemed to be contemplating the situation. With our bike now wrecked, we would have to be passengers on the other two remaining bikes.

"Why don't you cozy on up to the big bad merc over there, and I'll take the dame for a ride?" Riddicks smirk was back. My heart leaped into throat, at the thought of being that close to him. Boss Johns simply shook his head and raised his finger.

"Don't even think about trying to leave us in the dark." He said before he made his way over to Diaz.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Riddick replied in a low voice. I just stood there, staring at him, unsure of what to do next.

"Hurry it up, Princess. I don't bite." He smirked.

I cleared my throat and climbed onto the back of the bike. I hesitantly wrapped my arms around his solid middle. I nearly groaned at the wonderful heat that was radiating off of his body.

Riddick revved the bike to life once more, as Diaz did the same.

"Only if you ask me too."

I gasped, and he we sped away, his dark chuckle vibrating through his body. I really hoped we could get off of this shitty planet soon...


	14. Fight for the light

I don't know how long we rode through the rain soaked desert; maybe minutes…maybe hours? All I know is that the only thing keeping me grounded was the heat that was radiating off of Riddick's back. How far out had he hidden the nodes? Obviously it was far enough that it would deter any sane person from looking for them. Then again…none of us were exactly sane.

For the majority of the trip, we remained silent. The only sounds that echoed through the night were the constant rain drops and the low hum of the bike. With each passing moment, the certainty of our deaths loomed. All it would take would be just one mistake and we would cease to exist.

"How much further?" I yelled into Riddick's ear against the torrential downpour.

He tilted his head back slightly, never taking his eyes off of the sand before us. "What's the matter Hellcat? Getting tired of me already?"

I rolled my eyes, as I could picture the smirk that was on his face. When I didn't reply, I felt him chuckle. "Almost there."

I sighed and turned my gaze back to the desert. Off to our right, Diaz and Boss Johns were speeding over dune after dune. From what I could tell, Boss Johns had a slight panicked look, while Diaz seemed to be enjoying himself. He must have felt my gaze, because he shot me a small smile. There was something in his eyes that didn't sit well with me. I knew I couldn't trust him at all, that much had been made clear by the "slip" earlier. I broke the staring contest and closed my eyes. The rain was starting to become painful. Its icy drops felt like it was cutting my skin into a thousand pieces.

Just when I thought I wouldn't be able to take anymore, I felt the bike begin to slow. Riddick raised his right fist, signaling Diaz that we would be stopping. I would be lying if I said that I was disappointed we were stopping. I am pretty sure I had lost most of the feeling in my legs. However (to my slight alarm) I was a bit disappointed when I let go of Riddick's waist. I gingerly climbed off the bike and started ferociously rubbing some heat into my legs. A growl sounded off in the distance and my spine straightened up with a snap.

"Uh...Riddick? Are you sure we are safe here?" I said, looking around at the little drop off point.

"For now." He said simply.

I raised an eyebrow, but didn't question it. Riddick shut the bike off and swung his leg over the side. I couldn't help but stare. For a big, muscular guy, he was certainly graceful.

"See something you like?"

My eyes snapped up to meet his, a blush spreading across my cheeks.

"I uh…" It would seem my brain decided to shut off at that moment. He sauntered, literally _sauntered_ , over towards me, that damn smirk cemented on his face.

"Submit." He said in a low voice, as he ran his fingers through my hair, "You know you want too."

My breath caught as my scalp tingled. As much as my mind fought it, my body was more than ready.

"Break it up lovebirds. Unlike you, I'd rather not be a Mud Monsters next meal."

I nearly jumped out of my skin, as Boss John's voice broke through the rain. I quickly stepped back, my face heating up in embarrassment. Riddick didn't seem fazed, as he bent over and picked up a shovel that was hanging off the side of the bike. Boss Johns came to stand next to him, as he began to dig into the soaked earth. I walked over to the cracked pillars and leaned up against it, watching him work. I could hear the slight growls of the monsters out in the desert, but they seemed to shy away from the light, for the moment.

Riddick continuously shoveled, grunting here and there, as Boss Johns quietly watched him work. It looked like he wanted to say something, the way his brow was creasing, and he kept opening and then closing his mouth.

"I didn't kill him."

Both of us were startled, as Riddick continued his work. I wasn't sure if it was just my imagination, until he continued.

"I didn't kill your boy." He said without looking up.

"How?" Boss Johns said quietly, as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"He liked the needle a little too much."

A look of shock and anger passed over Boss John's face. He opened his mouth to retort, but Riddick beat him too it.

"Didn't know your son was a junky? Johns was like most mercs. They look all stand up and do right, until you cut them open and you find something missing. In his case, a spine."

"How dare you speak of my son that way." Boss Johns said through clenched teeth. I could feel the anger roll off of him.

"You know he used a kid as bait? Tried to stick her, right in the heart of all that mess. Ended up being him. I've killed a lot of spineless jerks, but he beat me to the punch."

They fell into a heavy silence after that. Riddick continued digging, while Boss Johns seemed to be mulling over their brief conversation. I remained silent and watched. After a few more minutes, I began to notice just how quiet it had become….a little too quiet.

"Uh guys?" I raised my voice as I pushed off of the pillar. Something was wrong.

"Got it." Riddick lunged forward and pulled up the two heavy nodes, Boss Johns grabbing on to them and helping lift them to the surface. It amazed me how he could have gotten them all the way out here by himself. They looked heavy.

"Now how the hell are we going to get these back?" Boss Johns straightened up.

"You're not."

There was no warning, before a shot of electricity rang through the air. Both Riddick and Boss Johns leapt out of the way, before it cracked against the bike, frying its systems. Diaz stepped out from the darkness, holding one of the biggest guns I had ever seen. I'd barely opened my mouth to scream, when pain exploded across my face and I fell. Disoriented, I tried to lift my head, but the pain prevented me from doing so. I laid my head on the soft ground and blink through trails of blood. My vision blurred and I could only make out blobs in front of me. Pure fury tore through me, as I lay there helpless. How could one simple blow do this much damage?

I closed my eyes as waves of pain flowed through me. I could hear Riddick and Diaz fighting. I was just glad someone was able too.

"Don't move." I felt cold fingers prod the back of my head. I hissed at the gentle pressure.

"Looks worse than it is; can you stand?" I nodded, but whimpered a bit. Boss John's gently placed his hands under my elbows and hauled me up. When I was standing, that's when I noticed it had gone silent again. Boss Johns wrapped my arm around his shoulders to keep me steady. I blinked a couple more times to clear my vision, and surveyed the damage. Diaz's blood ridden body lay a couple of feet away.

"What?"

"He was going to try and take them for himself. Bikes are toast." Riddick's voice seemed to boom across the small distance from us. He looked a little worse for wear, but mostly intact. He was inspecting the nodes and bike.

"What's the plan now?" Boss Johns asked. He seemed to be a little out of breath, as he spoke.

"We take em and leave." Riddick stated, as if it was the easiest thing to do.

"Have you forgotten just how heavy those things are? Plus Rena is injured." Boss Johns huffed, as he shifted.

"I can walk thanks. I will not be a burden." There would be hell to pay if I allowed myself to become a victim. Blame it on my Furyan blood, but I was not going to be a wimp. To prove my point, I wrenched myself away from Boss John's and wobbled a bit, before straightening up. My head throbbed in a vicious protest, but I grit my teeth against it. Riddick let out a toothy smile. It was then I noticed he wasn't wearing his goggles….his eyes….damn. Butterflies swarmed my stomach as I stared at them. They seemed to glow, as his smile was replaced with a smirk.

"She's a fighter. Never underestimate the small ones."

Was that a….compliment? Well, at least it was the closest thing I would get to one. I beamed with slight pride at that. Boss Johns huffed and shook his head. He walked over to the nodes and looked down. "Come on, we need to get back before…"

He cut off and stood ram rod straight. I was about to ask him what was wrong, when I heard it. Low growls and snarls filtered through the air. It was then I noticed the light flicker and died out. My breath caught in my throat. Boss John's looked up and uttered one terrifying word.

" _Run._ "

 


	15. So close, yet so bloody far away

" _ **Run."**_

It was like that one simple word was the headman's axe coming down. I stood frozen to the spot, as my eyes locked onto the men standing before me. My blood chilled at every screech and snarl that floated through the rain soaked air.

"Quickly! We have to move!" Boss Johns lunged for one of the power nodes and Riddick moved to the other.

I whipped my head around, trying to find anything I could use as a weapon. I nearly cried tears of joy, when I saw a bloodied pistol lying next to Diaz's still form. I quickly scooped it up and checked chamber supply. Four shots….guess I was going to have to make them count.

"Kid! Move it or lose it!" Boss John's voice cut through the air.

I quickly spun around and saw that they had gathered up the two nodes as best as they could and were ready to move out.

The rain was coming down harder now, continuously pelting against my skin, as if to remind me what was to come. My nerves were completely shot at this point. Adrenaline pumping through my veins and the will to not get torn apart by mud monsters kept me going. I concentrated on the slightly glowing node that was slung over Riddick's right shoulder. My hand tightened over the pistol, as I could feel hundreds of eyes all around us, just waiting for the perfect moment…the smallest slip. What was going to happen if we didn't make it? How long would Dahl wait, before trying to launch her own rescue, only to be met with the same fate? Would Luna be torn apart mid prayer?

I shook my head loose of my depressing train of thought. No…this won't happen. I won't allow it. There was no way in hell; I would become some stupid sand lizard's next meal. With that renewed thought, my legs pumped just a little bit faster and I was slowly gaining on Riddick, Boss John's still running ahead. Once I got to his side, he didn't say anything. He didn't need too. For the first time, in my entire life, I was actually at peace with someone. Was it simply the Furyan blood we both shared? The will and drive to survive in the cruel, twisted world? I have no fucking clue….but I what I do know is, that I don't think I would ever be apart from him after this. Normally this would scare the living shit out of me….but I was strangely okay with it. Something inside of me was almost…proud, to even be near him.

"Fuck! There's too many of them!"

My head snapped forward to where Boss John's was. He stopped at the top of a rocky slope to catch his breath. Riddick and I stopped a few seconds later and what we saw made my heart stop; the sky light up with a great crack of lightening, illuminating our surroundings. What I thought was hundreds…turned into a nightmare of _thousands_ of the mud monsters.

"What do we do?" My voice was just barely above a whisper. The false sense of bravado I had convinced myself of having earlier, was quickly beginning to fade. Judging by the small amount of weapons and the sheer amount of distance between us and the ships, we weren't going to make it. A low growl sounded off to my right and I nearly cringed, until I saw the source of it. Riddick was taking long, deep breaths and I could practically feel the power rolling off of him.

"We keep moving." He growled again.

"But-"I started, looking around in desperation.

"Keep. Moving." There was no room for argument and I don't think I could, even if I tried too. He stepped over the ridge and began to descend at a fast pace, almost leaving Boss Johns and I in the dust. It wasn't until we were about halfway down that the first wave of monsters started to attack. A smaller, lighter coloured creature leapt at Riddick, but he simply turned and caught it around its neck, before it could sink its teeth into him. With a quick snap, he tossed the now lifeless being into the surrounding darkness. Boss Johns set off a round into two more that came up from the left. I remained between the two for a while, as they valiantly fought off smaller groups. I began to realize something, as I watched and kept my guard up. The creatures were only sending in the smaller ones….why? There was certainly larger, more capable ones lurking in the rain.

"Kid!"

I was lost in my thoughts, that I missed one of them breaking off from the group. I had just enough time to raise my gun and let one lose, shattering skull and brain matter over the desert. _How much further?_

They became more and more aggressive as we tried to move through the almost cement-like sand. Then it dawned on me…send in the smaller ones to wear us out…and then….

"Riddick!"

Chaos erupted as a _**much**_ larger beast scrambled into view. Its skin was a mixture of dark red, black and brown. Teeth and saliva hung from its gaping maw, as it charged forward, effortlessly gliding over the wet sand. While Riddick was preoccupied by the onslaught of attacks, this one had managed to plan its course. Riddick managed to raise one of his arms, deflecting most of its force, as it sunk its teeth into his forearm. It began to shake its mouth, trying to knock him off balance. To my utter horror, Riddick simply smiled, before landing a powerful left hook to the side of the creatures face. An effective _**crack**_ sounded and the monster shrieked with rage, finally letting go of him. Before it had time to fully reel back, Riddick launched up and swung onto its neck.

"Shit!"

I swung back to see Boss John's having his own problems, wrestling four of the smaller ones. He was shooting his own gun, but it was becoming more and more difficult. Shoot one, two took its place. After a particularly rough jostle, one of his hunting knives was knocked from his grasp. With three shots left, I lined up my shot and took out a medium sized demon that was creeping up on his left. Before I could get another out, I was barreled off my feet onto the hard ground. The wind was knocked out of me and I saw stars. I was really getting pissed off at being knocked around so much. My bruises were getting bruises.

I had seconds to think. I rolled to my right, grabbing the dropped knife and sprung to my feet. A fresh wave of fury swept through me, my eyes glowing. Something in me had awakened….and boy was it pissed off.

"Come at me, you ugly motherfucker!" I spat, clenching the knife in one hand and the pistol in the other.

Those angry words were all it needed. The beast flew at me and I met it in the middle. Snarls and snaps, more and more of the creatures began to surround us, as one attack blending into another. We were making progress….slow…but progress none the least, as we swept through the growing group of predators.

I was an animal. I fought with vigor, gaining more battle wounds than I cared to think about, but I didn't care. I was nothing but one solid attack; jabbing and slashing, careful not to waste the three remaining bullets I had.

But even an animal could only go on for so long before admitting defeat. My limbs were getting heavy with the excessive use, my breathing coming in short, sharp gasps. Thankfully it seemed the first wave was thinning out.

I took a couple of steps back and ran into something solid. I looked over my shoulder. I was back to back with Riddick. He looked like he wasn't even breaking a sweat…the bastard.

"Damn, is there no end to them?" Boss Johns gasped. There were still couple lingering, but the buzzing off in the night was a heavy reminder, that we had a few precious moments to ourselves, before they regrouped. He checked his ammo. We were low before, but now we were almost completely out. Riddick didn't say anything, as he simply reloaded.

Boss John's shook his head and readjusted the node on his back. I looked over to Riddick.

"Give me your node." I held my hand out to him.

"Planning on running from me, Princess?" He chuckled darkly.

"No, just give me the damn node. You're a far better fighter than me and it would give more freedom to lop of their heads." I said through gritted teeth. We didn't have time for this shit.

Riddick simply stared at me with those glowing eyes, not even moving a muscle. Something low in my stomach began to flutter, and it was almost like I could _purr._ He took a step closer and took almost everything I had not to back down.

"Give. Me. The. Damn. Node." I said again, this time standing my ground more firmly.

"Beta." He said in that low voice. I shivered at his tone. He must have seen what he had been searching for, because he took the node from around his shoulder and handed it to me. It was solid and a bit heavier than I expected, but I dealt with it, wrapping the string twice around my shoulders and across my mid section. When I was sure it was secure, I backed away to catch Riddick still staring.

"Okay it's now or never. Here they come again!" Boss Johns clicked his gun.

We set off at a faster pace than before, as all of us knew this might be our last chance. Running, bleeding, fighting….it was a never ending cycle in the desert.

Then….that's when I saw it, a small light off in the distance. The ships.

"No fucking way." I said under my breath, a grin cracking across my bloodied lips.

"Look we are almost there! Ri-", I never got to finish.

It was like time slowed to almost a stop. I had turned to my right to flash a confident smile back to my companions. I felt like it was going to be ok…but it wasn't. I hadn't noticed a rather large looking, ugly motherfucker coming up on my right. It stood at least three feet taller than me, with sharp claws and all teeth. In a flash, I could feel something hot rip across my left cheek, neck and shoulder. Boss Johns eyes widened as his mouth screamed something, but I couldn't hear it. Riddick roared and lunged, as I collapsed. I bounced off the sand and came to rest on my back. I lifted my hand and touched my left side. My fingers were coated in my own blood.

It's funny….I had been running from death my entire life. My family…my only friend, had already been claimed by the grim reapers cold clutches. How I had managed to make it this far, I had no idea, but in the dim light of my eyes, I was peaceful…almost…serene.

" _ **RENA!"**_

It was that single word that halted…paused…deaths clutches. If I could laugh, I probably would have. I didn't even think Riddick knew my name. It was funny that it should come now, when I had mere moments. My eyes fluttered open, as I was being lifted. Riddick was covered in scratches and blood, but it was his eyes that truly held my attention. Was it worry? Sadness? Or something different that filled his gaze. I didn't like it.

"Stay the fuck awake. You hear me?" He growled. I just smiled and closed my eyes…even in death he was bossy.

"Come on, we are almost there." Boss Johns swam into my vision. It wasn't until we started moving, that I began to feel the pain. White hot feeling clouded my body. The rain, which once tormented, was now soothing and cool against my feverish skin.

"Look out!"

The next thing I knew a very large mouth was around Riddick's shoulder, blood spurting from the wounds. Riddick snarled and dropped me.

My vision began to blur. I was so tired and cold. I wanted to sleep, but I couldn't….. _Riddick!_ My mind screamed over and over, when my body could not.

I must have blacked out, because the next thing I knew, I was being dragged by the roped node on my back. My eyes remained closed, until I could feel a sudden change. The rain had stopped. _Where was Riddick?_

"Shit. What the fuck happened?"

Dahl? Was I hallucinating?

"Just get me the med kit." Boss John sounded tired, older than he had been.

My consciousness swam in and out, as I fought hard against the pain. I was able to open my eyes for a couple of seconds.

"Where is Riddick?" Dahl asked, as if echoing my own thoughts.

Boss Johns was quiet, as he tried to quickly stop the bleeding from my wound. My heart began to beat painfully fast. _No…no….no…..don't._

"We have to go." He paused, looking down into my eyes.

"Boss?" Dahl said quietly.

I didn't hear the rest. My body had other plans and I blacked out. The last thought on my mind was Riddick.

_Please don't be dead._


	16. Hazy Dreams, Restless Travels

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are nearing the end my friends! I hope you've stuck by it this far!

Death is a funny thing. From the moment we are born, we are constantly trying to flee. It's inevitable, but we convince ourselves otherwise. There is that little voice in the back of our heads, " _maybe if…_ " trying, desperately to find a loop hole.

Is this what death is supposed to feel like? A big, fat, nothing? I couldn't tell, as I have never actually been dead before. Sure, there was the occasional, god awful hangover that makes you wish for death…but this…

To be honest, I was a little disappointed. No shinning gate, or fiery pit. It was just nothing. Hell, I'd even take a sign that says, "Congrats! You're dead!"

With all this nothing, it gave me time to think. Why was I so worried before? Everything was a little hazy to be honest. It didn't feel like it mattered now. I feel like I could not care anymore and just float…

… **wait…no there was something…what the hell was it?**

Back to floating. I could do this for eternity. Never having to feel pain…cold….love…

 **Love**? That triggered something. It was there, just beyond my reach. Think Rena, think!

But it feels so nice to float. It was like the darkness was caressing me in a warm embrace.

Actually, now that you mention it, I was beginning to feel warm….almost too warm…

Ugh! Screw that! It's getting HOT!

"Don't you dare fade on me now! Wake up, damn it!"

Was that…Boss Johns? What was he doing here?

"Boss….it's been too long."

"No! Just give me a minute. Come on Rena! Wake up!"

The more I heard the voices, the hotter I was becoming. No! No! Bring back the floating!

"Don't be a quitter! Riddick would kill me if you died now."

 **Riddick**?

It was with that final thought, my body seemed to burn itself up. Feeling returned to my frozen limbs with a vengeance and a sputtering, painful breath, filled my lungs.

"Oh thank fuck. You scared the shit out of me."

I cracked my eyes open and grimaced. I felt like I had been run over by a truck. I tried to turn my head, only to have a pair of strong hands hold me in place.

"Don't move. You'll open up the scab. I've only just got it to stop bleeding." A soothing voice said from above.

Luna looked down at me with a worried smile, his hands and most of his clothes covered in, what I can assume, was my blood.

"What…..happened?" I managed to rasp out.

Boss Johns sat next to me on the cot, with a small med kit on his lap.

"You lost a lot of blood. Your heart stopped. I had to get it going again." He said, slightly out of breath.

So, that would explain the burning feeling. Must have been my heart restarting and everything jumping to life all at once.

Luna gently placed my head on a pillow and got up from his crouched position. He quickly left the room through a small doorway without saying a word. I took the couple of minutes of silence to survey my surroundings. For the first time, I felt it: the room felt almost like it was vibrating. Judging from the steel walls and no windows, I could tell that I wasn't in the disemboweled shack.

"Ship?" I rasped out at Boss Johns. He nodded once and continued riffling through the med box.

So we managed to at least get one of the nodes intact. My relief was short lived however, when a thought sprung to my mind, along with a shot of anxiety.

"Johns…where is….Riddick?" It was quite painful to speak and I had to take small breaths, in between words.

Boss Johns sighed and without looking at me, set out some repair stuff over my blanket. Cloth bandages, anti-infectant and some sort of cream. He remained silent as he began to gently clean the wound on my left side. I hissed when he hit a particularly tender spot, but I remained silent. My gaze never leaving his face. A silent plea for him to speak.

He sighed again, as started wrapping from the middle of my left arm, neck and the left side of my face, covering my left eye in the process. The cream was numbing the pain some and I was able to breathe a little easier.

"I had to leave."

He said it almost too quietly me for me to catch. I scrunched my brow in confusion. He finally met my gaze and his eyes were filled with sadness. My stomach clenched.

"I had to leave him. It was him or the nodes."

My heart nearly stopped at his admission. Riddick was down there with all those….. _things._

"How could you? He save your ass more than once!" My anger was beginning to flare, as was the pain, much to my dissatisfaction.

"Look, it was a hard decision." He started, but I interrupted him.

"Hard decision, my ass! What did it take? All of three seconds? Asshole!" I tried to get up, only to have him gently push me down by my uninjured shoulder. I didn't put up much resistance, as the sudden movement caused a wave of dizziness and nausea.

"Kid, will you settle the fuck down? Look, I know what I did. You're lucky I dragged your ass aboard this ship before you became monster meat."

I sent him a glare with my one eye. Before I could continue on my tirade the ship shook violently. Dahl popped her head through the door, giving me a quick one over, before speaking in a rushed tone.

"Boss! I think we spotted him….if we are going to do this, we better do it quickly!"

Boss Johns gave her a curt nod before she disappeared back through the doorway. He turned back to look at me and he leaned over to give my shoulder a quick squeeze.

"I know it was a shitty choice but….I am doing everything I can to rectify it. I need you to trust me, ok?"

I raised my brow, almost quizzically. He sighed and quickly turned back to the med kit, rummaging through it. After a couple of seconds he found what he was looking for. A small needle with clear liquid. My eye widen in mild shock and leveled him with a look.

"You're very badly hurt. I need you to rest until we can get you better medical help, alright? Luna is going to stay here with you."

"Boss!" Dahl called through the doorway.

"In a minute!" He quickly barked back. "I need you to trust me." Although his tone was soft, he left no room for argument.

I reluctantly nodded and he took my right arm in his grip. He ran his thumb over the crook looking for a good spot, before plunging the needle in. Within a couple of breaths I was beginning to feel warm again. Not dying warm, but comfortable. Boss Johns face began to swim before me, as the drug took effect. What had he meant by, _rectify it_? Thinking was becoming too hard and my eyes dropped shut.

I was sort of aware when Luna came back in and took Boss Johns spot. The weight on my cot shifted and I could hear him murmuring quietly to himself. His voice kind of had a soothing tone to it. I think the ship shook a couple of more times, before there was a lot of shouting. I could only get my eye to open to sliver. Faces kept swimming in and out. Man, this drug was powerful. I am not entirely sure how long it had been or what exactly was going on. I was having some pretty hardcore hallucinations. I dreamt I was flying…and then it was Sasha and me hiding out in one of our old safe houses.

My favourite dream was Riddick. His face swam into my vision, with his damnable smirk. For a brief moment, my drug riddled brain burst with joy. I know a rational part of me was probably shouting " _danger_ ", but luckily the drug was shutting that up.

"I thought I'd lost you." I said almost dreamily. I am pretty sure there was a goofy smirk on my face, but I didn't care. Nothing could top this dream.

When he chuckled, all my previous worries flew out the window.

"Looking to get rid of me?" His voice seemed more tired than usual.

I lifted my hand and placed it on his cheek. It felt so real! I giggled. "Hmm, even in my dreams you are so serious."

His smirk grew wider. "Dreaming of little old me, are you? Naughty girl."

I smiled. But after a moment, my eye began to water with unshed tears. As much as I loved this moment….I knew it couldn't be real. For all I knew, Riddick was still down on that stupid planet, in several different pieces. To my utter shame, a few tears slid down my cheek and I struggled to breath. "This isn't real."

I heard another chuckle, before a set of very warm lips were pressed against mine. Our lips moved in synch, as our tongues battled for dominance. I put my heart and soul into it, as I knew that the dream could end at any moment. We broke a part a couple of moments later to catch our breaths. God, he was good at that.

"Feel real enough to you?" His said with a smug grin. I gave him a small smile, before I could feel my eye begin to drift shut.

He leaned down and placed a warm kiss on my forehead. "Sweet talker." I murmured.

He sighed, almost with a growl. "I'll be back, baby girl. You can count on that. Don't miss me too much. Gotta take care of the big, bad wolf."

"Where are you going?" I mumbled sleepily. My thoughts were getting all scrambled up, but I so desperately wanted to hold onto this moment.

"You take her there and make sure she makes it. Or I'll be back for you." I could hear his voice off in the distance.

"Remember our agreement. Someday soon." Boss Johns replied.

And with those words his warmth was just…gone and I was drifting in darkness again.

I am not exactly sure how long I was out, but the next time I came too, the ship had landed and I was being gently shook awake.

"Hmph?" I questioned. My pain was back, much to my dismay.

"Come on. We have to get you inside. Better supplies there." Luna said.

He scooped me up, as if I weighed nothing. I let my head roll and my right cheek came to rest on his collar bone. I was so tired and everything hurt. I didn't really care where we were, I just wanted the pain to stop. I sighed and my lips turned up in a small smile.

"That was a nice dream." I said, grogginess still invading my voice.

"What dream?" Luna seemed puzzled.

I didn't answer right away, as the rocking back and forth from his footsteps was lulling me back to sleep.

"Riddick. He was there…..it was nice…."

Luna said nothing, as we continued on our way to whatever location we had set course for. I could hear a door opening and closing, followed by heavier footsteps.

"How is she?"

It was Boss Johns.

"Still out of it, I am afraid. We need to get a doctor to look at her."

"Alright. Just set her down there and we can head out. Dahl will stay and get the house set up."

The next thing I knew, I was being laid down on something that was incredibly soft. I let out a happy sigh and snuggled closer to it. From what I could tell, it was a very large bed and I was very grateful to not be still cooped up in one of those damn merc ships. A heavy blanket was placed over me and I was instantly surrounded by warmth.

"Boss?"

"Hm. What is it Kid? We need to head out."

"I know, but it's just something she said…about Riddick…"

"Shh." Boss Johns stopped moving around. "Now is not the time."

After another couple of minutes of silence, I heard them leave the room. I opened my good eye and stared up at the ceiling. From what I could see, I was in a very neat and clean room. It looked like one you would see in those fancy house magazines. I tried to sit up, but unfortunately whatever medicine I was injected with, hadn't quite warn off. I quickly lay back down and wrap the blanket around me a little tighter. Thousands of thoughts flitted through my head…going through everything that had happened. So much death….so much pain…..

I bit back a sob that threatened to escape. My earlier happiness of my drug induced dream of Riddick, came crashing down, as reality hit with full force. He was probably dead and it was all my fault. It was the first time I had ever met anyone like him….even remotely close to what I was and I screwed it up. With Sasha gone and now….Riddick. I was utterly alone. For the first time in my life, I actually felt like an empty shell, without an inkling as to what I should do. Where would I go?

Much to my dismay, my body had other plans. As quickly as my energy came, it left again. I would let my worries run their course sometime later. For now….I fell into the blissful arms of sleep.


	17. A Promise to Keep You Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, ladies and gents! This is the final chapter. This is also a steamy chapter, but I have broken it up, so if you don't like it, just skip through the lines. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for reading!

It had been a month since we arrived at Helion Prime. The earth was still scorched and scared from the battle with the Necromongers years before, but the populace seemed to have bounced back.

Boss Johns, Dahl, Luna and myself, were the only ones who managed to survive the horrors of the mud monsters. Looking back, I thought that I would be more emotional, but…

I feel like a shell. There is nothing to me, but fake smiles and small talk and even that was a bit of a reach. While I was sad that my companion Sasha was gone, I had been able to say my goodbyes. With Riddick….

It wasn't until I had awoken from a dead 24 hour sleep, that I found out that Riddick was truly gone. My gut twisted with sorrow at the thought that my encounter with him had been nothing more than a love lore dream.

Everyone had kept a cool distance, although Luna had tried his hardest to engage me in the odd conversation. That had quickly fizzled out by my tenth one word answer. I moved through my days like a robot…It felt more like a piece of me was missing and I would do anything to get it back. We'd set up shop in one of the abandoned houses in the slum district. Not many people had gone back there, so it made it the ideal place to stay, until we could find out what our next move was.

"Kid, you want to give me a hand with this?"

I was shaken out of my stupor by Boss Johns voice. He hefted a couple of rather heavy looking bags of supplies. I reached out and took one and lugged it over my shoulder, letting out a soft grunt. My wound still hurt quite a bit, but it was nothing I couldn't handle. Luna said I would be left with a rather nasty looking scar, but I couldn't be bothered. I think it would add character.

"Thanks." Boss Johns huffed. It would seem that I was not the only one left a little ragged after our encounter.

I responded with a nod and we continued our trek back towards the slums from the upper market. People passed us by, not really giving us any notice. Gone were my bloodied rags. They had been replaced by a soft, cream coloured tunic and matching flowing pants. Boss Johns was still wearing his armour, but he said that I needed to blend in, in case any more mercs were still on the hunt. I couldn't have cared less.

In the last month, I had had a lot of time to think. Think about the past…and certainly about the future. Now that I knew that Santana wouldn't be after me anymore, it gave me pause; for the first time in my life, I could actually breathe and think.

What would I do? Where could I go? Thousands of thoughts kept racing through my mind, but only one seemed to stick: _**FURYA.**_

Why not go back to where this all began? I certainly don't remember it. Maybe there were still some of my people left? Maybe I could start over.

When Boss Johns and I reached our hideout, I was greeted with very loud barking. I smiled and opened the door with my unoccupied hand. Pard began bouncing up and down, his tongue hanging out the side of his mouth. I set the bag I was carrying on floor and knelt down to stroke his soft fur. Out of everything, he was the only one to make me smile. He was my constant and my friend. I don't think I could have survived this long month without him.

"I am surprised he hasn't alerted to anybody that we are here, what with all his barking." Luna said, coming into the little kitchen.

"Eh, he makes a pretty good guard dog. Where is Dahl?" Boss Johns asked, putting the supplies away.

"Still out, gathering information, I think." Luna leaned up against the counter and stared down at Pard and myself.

"How are you feeling?" He asked gently. Always a worrier.

"Fine." I didn't look away from Pard and I continued to pat his neck.

"Are you sure, because if you-"

"I said I am fine." I interrupted. We had had this conversation more than once.

An uneasy silence came over the room, after my abrupt words. I sighed and stood up.

"Maybe we should leave you to rest? Dahl and I have come up with a plan, but we can discuss this later. You need to get your full strength back before we can do anything." Boss Johns said matter of factly. He had finished with his organizing and wiped his hands on his pant legs. I shrugged and began to make my way towards the stairs.

"Come on. We still have to scout the area. Kid, you don't mind if we take your mongrel, do you?"

I shrugged and watched as Pard began bouncing with excitement at the idea of going out. I shook my head with mild amusement and waited for the small group to leave, before making my way upstairs to the room I had claimed as my own. The house was quieter than usual. You could hear people rushing from place to place, bargaining for a better price, or even the occasional laugh. Tonight, however, it seemed as if everyone had just left.

I rubbed the back of my neck as my feet padded along the old wooden floors. It was starting to get cold. We would need to get warmer supplies soon.

I was lost in my thoughts as I entered my room and shut the door behind me. I had gotten a foot from my bed, when I stopped; something wasn't right. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up on full alert. I held my breath as I listened for anything. From what my senses told me….I wasn't alone in the room.

My eyes quickly darted back and forth, landing on different objects, trying to figure out which one would make the best weapon. I finally spotted a foot long metal pipe peeking out from under my bed. I let out a breath slowly and prepared to strike.

"Now what are you planning to do with that, little minx?"

Startled, I forgot the pipe and spun around, preparing to hit whoever was behind me. To my surprise, a pair of strong hands griped my wrists and pinned me against a rock hard body. I leaned back to look up at my attacker and my breath stilled.

"Riddick?"

I must have been hallucinating. There was no way that Riddick was standing there, in the flesh, with a wicked grin on his face.

"Trying to get rid of me already?" He chuckled. It sent a shiver down my back.

I could hardly believe it. All the days that I mourned…all the sadness, just seemed to evaporate on the spot. Multiple emotions began running through my head at that moment: Disbelief, joy, confusion and finally settling on anger.

"What the actually fuck?" I spat. I tried to wrench my hands from his grip, but it was not use. His hands were like shackles of iron.

"You…you bastard! You've been alive all this time? I-I-I thought you were dead!" I continued on my tirade. I silently cursed when my voice broke. There was no way in hell I was going to break down in front of him.

Riddick stood silent as I continued to try and thrash out at him; calmly waiting out the storm. After a couple of minutes (and a few more choice words), I slumped against him, exhausted. While I was still angry at him, my limbs won out and I couldn't do anymore. My neck and shoulder were throbbing from my rash act, but I didn't care. My anger began to bleed into relief. Riddick was here. He was alive.

"Better?" He asked quietly. Gently almost…so not Riddick-like that it prompted me to lift my head to look at him.

It was then that I noticed he didn't have his goggles on. His shined eyes bore down on me with such intensity that I almost shrank back.

"I thought you were gone." I said, just above a whisper.

Riddick smirked again and leaned down, his head hovering over the left side of my neck. He placed a kiss over my almost healed scratched and my eyes closed.

"Couldn't leave without a proper goodbye." He growled, gently licking along my neck, to nibble on my ear lobe. I shivered again, at the promise that he held in his voice.

Maybe it was the exhaustion over the past month, or that I was emotionally drained, but something seemed to come alive inside me at his words. A wicked grin crossed my lips.

His hands had loosed their grip on mine and my hand snaked down to grip his chin and I forced him to look up at me.

"You're such an asshole."

With one more delectable grin, his hot lips captured my own and I was lost.

….

* * *

A low growl formed in the back of my throat as I gripped the back of his neck and pulled him closer to me. His lips were like magic, as they danced against my own. I have no idea what came over me…but I liked it.

I bit his bottom lip and I was rewarded by a deep chuckle. I shoved my tongue into his mouth and we battled for dominance of the kiss. I gasped as I felt his hands on my behind. He squeezed and I yelped when he landed a quick slap. He lifted my legs up and I wrapped them around his waist, relishing in the delicious heat and friction it created. Our breaths mixed together as we continued to kiss. I could feel Riddick walking forwards and soon falling onto my bed. I unwrapped my legs, as his hand slid down, coming to cup my breast. I sighed and arched my back up into his touch.

I was disappointed when Riddick broke the kiss, but gasped as I felt his hot trailed of nips and kissed down the right side of my neck. I jolted when he bit down on the soft flesh. He gently licked the spot before continuing downwards. His hands slid down and under my shirt, pulling it up and swiftly over my head. Out of habit, I crossed my arms over myself, but he pulled my arms down and away, before leaning down to take one of my hard peaks into his mouth. I gasped, as his tongue swirled around and he tugged my nipple with his teeth. I closed my eyes and bit my bottom lip as his other hand came to pinch my other nipple. It felt good…. _really good._ My hands came up to grip the back of his head closer to me. He switched sides and I nearly lost my breath with the amount of sensations it caused.

"Hmm," I hummed with pleasure. It had certainly been a long time…too long.

Riddick chuckled, but didn't raise his head. My eyes snapped open, when I felt one of his hands snake lower. He pushed down my pants and his hand went under my underwear to cup my heat. A strangled cry escaped my lips as his deft fingers ghosted over right where I wanted him,

His head came up and he came to loom over me, his intense eyes never wavering. I inhaled sharply as he slowly pushed one finger into me. He groaned as he slowly pumped it in and out. My breath was coming in short, sharp gasps now, as pleasure began to flood my body. I griped the sheets tightly underneath me and my eyes drifted shut.

"No." He asserted and my eyes snapped open to meet his gaze again. "I want to see you come undone, wildcat."

I nearly came undone right there, as he inserted another finger. The sensations were getting stronger and I could feel at tight coil begin in the pit of my stomach.

"Riddick…I-ompf." I couldn't finish my sentence, as wave after wave began to build up.

"Mine." Riddick growled, as he picked up the pace of his fingers.

I growled and clenched my jaw tight, I was getting close. Just a little more…..

I nearly screamed when he suddenly stopped. My eyes snapped open to glare at him. He matched my own gaze, with the dominance of his own.

"Say. It." He stilled, waiting for me to comply.

"Yes. I'm yours. Please Riddick, plea—ahh!" He picked up his pace again, going faster and harder than before. All I could do was hold on and enjoy the ride. After a couple of intense moments, I moaned. The coil finally snapped and I was a wash with enough pleasure to curl my toes. It left me gasping for air. Riddick grinned like a cat down at me, as he removed his hands. He quickly pulled the rest of my clothes off.

Normally I would be embarrassed at the possibility of another seeing my naked body, but the lust in Riddick's shined eyes sent me into a lust filled frenzy that evaporated my fears. As much as I was Riddick's, he was mine. I swiftly sat up and pulled at the end of his black shirt, tugging so he would get the idea. He raised his arms above his head and I pulled the garment off, momentarily distracted by the way his muscles moved and rippled. He chuckled at my expression and captured my lips in a quick kiss, before moving back to dispose of his cargo pants. To my utter delight, he had gone commando…and I was not left disappointed. Riddick stood still as I assessed him from head to toe. He was over six feet of prime animal…and he was mine for the taking. Feeling coy, I leaned back on one elbow and crooked a finger at him, beckoning him to me.

For a big guy, his movements were graceful…smooth…almost like a sleek predator. Riddick crawled on the bed and up my body, to capture my lips in another heated kiss. Our tongues played against each other, until I felt him relax, ever so slightly. I used that to my advantage and flipped him over, so I was straddling his waist. I grinned down at him, as I racked my nails down his chest. He hands swept along my back before settling on my behind and giving my cheeks a quick squeeze. I leaned down and liked the side of his neck, like he had done to me earlier. His skin was a delicious combination of salt, sweat and man. I let my tongue lap at his skin, as I traveled downward. I placed small kisses down his stomach, to the little hairs leading down to my ultimate goal, all the while glancing up at him. He wove his fingers through my hair and pushing the strands away from my face. Once I had gone as low as I could go, I took his generous length in one of my hands and wrapped my fingers around him. I could hear his sharp intake of breath and new that I was doing good. I tentatively began to stroke him from his tip to the base. He hard, yet almost as soft a silk and it piqued my curiosity. I placed a single kiss at his top and licked my lips. I had had sex before, but I had never done this, never been this adventurous. Before I could chicken out, I took the tip into my mouth and swirled my tongue. His fingers tightened in my hair, gently but firmly, guiding me to take more of him in. Once I had taken as much as I could, I tightened my fist on the remaining part that I couldn't take in. I slid back up and licked the side of him, before taking him back into my mouth. I began to slowly bob my head up and down, in rhythm with my hand. His moans and grunts encouraged me to go faster. I could feel him begin to twitch, and I began to suck harder with my movements. After a couple more heated moments, Riddick ripped me away and pulled me up, so I was again straddling him. I looked at him in confusion, but gasped when I felt his thumb brush over my already swollen nub. I rocked forward, trying to get more friction, but growled when it wasn't working. Riddick chuckled and lifted me up a bit and positioned himself underneath me. I slowly began to sink on him and groaned at just how full I felt. It took a couple of moments to get used to the stretch. I rocked a couple more times and then he was fully sheathed within me. I let out a huff of breath and began to rock gently, enjoying the feeling it created. Riddick fully laid back and his hands came to rest on my hips. He took one of his hands and slapped my backside, to which I cried out.

"Ride me."

I didn't need to be told twice. I slowly raised myself up, before grinding back down. I mewled at the feeling and picked up the pace. Riddick's hand tightened on my hips as he helped me move. I swirled my hips in small circles as I rode him, my hands coming to rest on my own breasts. He seemed to like that, as he growled his approval.

I could feel that hot little coil once again tightening as we moved as one. The scent of sex was in the air and our combined moans and grunts filled the silence around us. I continued to ride him, but was quickly becoming frustrated of my elusive orgasm. Riddick must have sensed this, as he pulled me off him and placed me on my hands and knees in front of him. I didn't even get a chance to recover from the sudden movement, as he plunged right back in and began fucking me with vigor. All I was, was a pile of hot flesh and moans in that moment. I was like an animal. I reached back behind me to grip his forearm. I moaned again, as I felt his flesh slap against mine.

I bit my bottom lip and my eyes slammed shut. The pleasure was becoming overwhelming. It felt like liquid fire had spread through my veins.

"Riddick…I-uh…I can't…" I huffed, as my hands clawed at the sheets.

Riddick leaned down, and pushed my shoulders into the mattress, as he ground his hips into me. I could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck. I turned my head to the side, exposing the right side of my neck to him. His lips pressed firmly in a kiss to my skin and I groaned.

"You're mine. Never forget that. Mine." He groaned into my skin.

At his words, I could feel the heat begin to rise and I was becoming delirious from all the sensations. Riddick began to grind harder and I could feel his teeth sink painfully into my flesh. That did it and I came with an animalistic cry. Sweat trickled down my forehead and I collapsed fully onto the mattress. Riddick continued to pump into me, his hips losing all rhythm and he exploded with a strangled grunt. I shivered as I could feel his hot release and it left me with a half dreamy smile. His paced slowed and then it stopped. We both lay there panting in the aftermath. He gingerly pulled out of me and I quietly groaned at the feeling. My shoulder and neck were definitely going to hurt, but I didn't care. It was definitely worth it.

Exhaustion was creeping over me, as I snuggled on the bed. I could feel Riddick roll off to my side, pulling my back against him. He wound his arm tightly around my mid-section, and I let out a sigh of contentment. Riddick stuck his head into my hair and took a deep breath, ending on a satisfied growl.

My eyes became really heavy and they drifted shut on their own accord.

"Riddick?" I mumbled sleepily. "I love you."

I couldn't be sure if I had actually said that last part, or if I had dreamed it, but it was true. My heart felt whole, for the first time in forever. I felt his grip tighten as I fell into a blissful slumber. For the first time in forever, I felt happy.

* * *

Riddick stood silently at the end of the bed as he watched her sleep. His woman. His mate. It was an odd thing really. He felt himself swell with pride as he thought about all they had been through in their short time together. Never had he ever considered the possibility of finding another like himself. Let alone one tailored so perfectly to his needs. She was a firecracker. A wild cat, waiting to be tamed, and tame he will. But he had to take care of something first.

They would find Furya together and build on the legacy of their people. In order to do that, he needed to make sure all obstacles were dealt with. Beginning with Vaako.

Riddick swiftly turned towards the cracked window and looked down at the darkened street below. The mercs were returning. He glanced again at her sleeping form. She would be safe here for the time being. He placed his goggles on the bedside table, as a sort of promise that he would come back for her. With one final glance, Riddick departed, with the single thought of revenge on his mind. Necropolis and Vaako had an appointment to keep, one he would make sure to attend.


End file.
